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Disrespect Of Women In Othello

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Modern day women do not endure the same amount of disrespect that the women of the Elizabethan era faced. In “Othello”, Shakespeare compellingly illustrates how women during the Elizabethan era were treated by male figures in Venetian society. For instance, Othello is a warrior who respects and loves his wife just as she loves and respects him. In contrast, Iago is outright disrespectful to his very own wife, and he makes it clear that he does not think too fondly of women in general. Depicted as the handsome bachelor of the play, Cassio is highly respectful and seemingly flirtatious to all women naturally, which serves as the fuel for Iago’s malicious scheme in the play. Regardless of how these men are interpreted on the surface, Shakespeare distinctly outlines how the Venetians view the roles of women in their time, which is that men are to be ultimately superior to women, and women are basically idle objects for men (Iyasere, 2009).
Throughout most of the play, Othello appears to have admirable respect for his wife Desdemona, as he is open and sincere about his love for her in the presence of every character. Indeed, Desdemona seems to be treated as most women desire to be treated and loved by their husbands. Othello courageously stands his ground and professes his love for Desdemona when he is approached by Brabantio and his men about their elopement (Shakespeare, 2014). Evidently, Desdemona is not as perfect as Brabantio claims she is, in fact, Othello explains in the

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