Gender in 'Othello'

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  • Created by: xelario
  • Created on: 22-05-19 21:30
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  • Gender in  ??'Othello'??
    • Conflict between men and women
      • Donkor saw 'a lack of sympathy between genders'
        • arguably, Desdemona shows constant loyalty and sympathy to her husband
          • 'my lord'- patriarchal control
        • Indeed, Emilia confides in D that 'a dozen' women are unfaithful if the reward is sufficient
      • Emilia's proto-feminist speech (VMV) in Act 4, Scene 3: 'the ills we do, their ills instruct us so'
        • She believes that men are at fault for all wrongdoing, as sexism causes women to sin
    • Male allegiances
      • Stesienko: Othello believes the military bond created by shared experience is more... credible than a matrimonial bond"
    • Misogyny
      • 'O curse of marriage that we can call these delicate creatures ours and not their appetites!'
        • male ownership of women- harmful institution of marriage
      • Emilia's wisdom: 'I do think it is their husbands' faults if wives do fall'
      • VMV cited a 'basic male insecurity about women's sexuality'
    • Masculinity
      • Some critics see Cassio as pathetic for attempting to gain redemption via Desdemona
    • Femininity
      • Handkerchief as symbol of virginity/purity- ambiguous (Donkor)

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