This work deals with Shakespeare’s play Othello with regard to feminism. It will analyse the female characters and their relation to men and society. Furthermore it will try to find out if Shakespeare was a feminist or not, if he created feministic women and if he supported the idea of equal rights. Additionally, the paper will look at the handkerchief as a stage prop and as a symbol with a wider meaning. How did Shakespeare use its symbolism? First of all, this work will give a short overview over feminism, its definition, its historical development and its relation to Shakespeare. The following chapter deals with the play Othello in connection with feminism. Can Othello be interpreted from a feminist point of view? What symbols did Shakespeare use? Here the handkerchief is of special interest. Finally, the conclusion will summarize the findings and give results. In order to give a broad view of meanings and feministic reviews this paper works with secondary literature from 1775 to 2000 to show how opinions changed, respectively how they remained the same. Moreover it includes books about feminism in general and books about Shakespeare’s plays and feminism.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 FEMINISM
2.1 DEFINITION OF ‘FEMINISM’
2.2 FEMINISM AND LITERARY CRITICISM
2.3 FEMINISM AND SHAKESPEARE
3 OTHELLO AS A FEMINIST PLAY
3.1 THE HANDKERCHIEF AND ITS SYMBOLISM
3.1.1 The handkerchief – not only a stage prop
3.2 FEMINISM IN OTHELLO
4 CONCLUSION
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
5.1 PRIMARY LITERATURE
5.2 SECONDARY LITERATURE
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines Shakespeare’s Othello through a feminist lens, analyzing female characters, their social standing, and whether the play challenges or reinforces patriarchal structures. The primary research goal is to determine if Othello can be interpreted as a feminist play by evaluating Shakespeare's portrayal of women and his use of symbolism.
- Feminist theory and its application to literary criticism.
- The historical context of Shakespeare’s portrayal of female characters.
- The symbolic function of the handkerchief as a manifestation of patriarchal power.
- Character analysis of Desdemona and Emilia as representations of oppressed or defiant women.
- Critical perspectives on Othello from the 18th century to the present.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1.1 The handkerchief – not only a stage prop
The white handkerchief is embroidered with a pattern of red strawberries. The strawberry plant itself is part of the generic rose family, the flower most frequently associated with love and desire. In the sixteenth century, strawberries were associated with the virgin, hence there is a logical connection between the handkerchief and the concept of virginity itself.
Shakespeare uses the technique of visual reduction. Historically the bloodstained sheet is seen as proof of virginity by representing the bloodstains that appear when a woman has sexual intercourse for the first time. As such, the white handkerchief with the red strawberries can be said to symbolize the white bed sheet with bloodstains on it. Since the pattern of strawberries on a white background strongly indicates the bloodstains left on the sheets on a virgin's wedding night, the handkerchief implicitly suggests a guarantee of virginity as well as fidelity. Othello gives the handkerchief to Desdemona upon consummation of their marriage, thus making it a symbol of his ownership of Desdemona. As such, the handkerchief symbolizes the bond that holds between husband and wife - or a symbol of sexual and romantic relation. Only when Desdemona has his handkerchief, Othello can be sure that she is truly his.
Chapter Summaries
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter defines the scope of the study, introducing the feminist perspective on Othello and the methodology of using secondary literature to analyze character and symbol.
2 FEMINISM: This chapter provides a theoretical foundation by defining feminism and outlining the development of feminist literary criticism.
2.1 DEFINITION OF ‘FEMINISM’: This section establishes the core definition of feminism used in the paper, focusing on the belief in equality and the critique of patriarchal norms.
2.2 FEMINISM AND LITERARY CRITICISM: This section covers the historical rise of feminist literary theory and how it analyzes the representation of women as victims in literature.
2.3 FEMINISM AND SHAKESPEARE: This section explores how critics have approached Shakespearean works through a feminist lens, specifically noting the shifts in interpretation from 1975 onwards.
3 OTHELLO AS A FEMINIST PLAY: This chapter analyzes the play's plot and themes, arguing that Desdemona's defiance against her father serves as an early sign of feminist agency.
3.1 THE HANDKERCHIEF AND ITS SYMBOLISM: This section examines the handkerchief as a recurring motif and its evolution from a symbol of love to a tool of betrayal.
3.1.1 The handkerchief – not only a stage prop: This section offers a deep dive into the semiotics of the handkerchief, linking the strawberry pattern to themes of virginity and male possession.
3.2 FEMINISM IN OTHELLO: This section evaluates the female protagonists Emilia and Desdemona, contrasting their moral strength against the patriarchal dominance of the male characters.
4 CONCLUSION: This chapter synthesizes the findings, concluding that while Shakespeare portrays a patriarchal society, his creation of strong female characters allows for a feminist interpretation.
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY: This section lists the primary and secondary sources utilized to construct the arguments presented in the paper.
Keywords
Shakespeare, Othello, Feminism, Literary Criticism, Desdemona, Emilia, Handkerchief, Symbolism, Patriarchy, Gender, Women's Rights, Virginity, Elizabethan Drama, Feminist Critique
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper examines whether Shakespeare's play Othello can be interpreted as a feminist work by analyzing the role of female characters and the symbolic meaning of key objects.
What are the central themes discussed?
The main themes include female oppression in a patriarchal society, the nature of marriage and infidelity, and the evolution of feminist literary criticism regarding Shakespeare.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if Shakespeare supported equal rights for women and whether his female characters, such as Desdemona and Emilia, demonstrate feminist traits despite their restrictive social environments.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The author uses a qualitative analysis approach, examining primary text passages and cross-referencing them with secondary literature spanning from 1775 to 2000 to track shifts in critical opinion.
What is covered in the main section?
The main section analyzes the symbolic power of the handkerchief, the character arcs of Desdemona and Emilia, and how male dominance over these women reflects broader societal issues of the time.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Othello, Feminism, Symbolism, Desdemona, Patriarchal society, and Gender politics.
How does the handkerchief function as an anti-feminist symbol?
The handkerchief acts as a symbol of male ownership and dominance; its loss becomes the catalyst for Othello's murderous rage, reinforcing the idea that Desdemona is treated as property rather than an individual.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding Shakespeare’s stance?
The author concludes that while Shakespeare portrays a deeply patriarchal society, his nuanced portrayal of women who think, feel, and sometimes defy male authority suggests a relatively feminist outlook for his era.
- Quote paper
- Magister Artium (M.A.) Silvia Alpers (Author), 2004, Othello - A feminist Shakespeare and a drama about a handkerchief, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/29873
