context Flashcards
women were responsible for maintaining the ‘honour’ of their families (particularly amongst the upper classes), there was a great deal of anxiety about how they behaved in public and in private.
men ran all of the institutions and were considered the heads of households.
they should not speak very often, and certainly not about matters of state or important issues that only men would be able to discuss
they should remain chaste, keeping their virginity intact until marriage; and they should obey their husbands and fathers in all things
accused of being unchaste and labelled a ‘whore’, it could mean the downfall of her family in society, and the ruin of her future. It was a serious and dangerous accusation and, in this period, women were guilty until proven innocent.
The language in the play paints women as either virtuous and pure or as adulterous and sexually corrupt. There seems to be little compromise between these two statuses
Desdemona remains faithful to Othello, but her history of defying male authority makes him anxious.
Women were also barred from voting
though they could inherit property from their father or their husband, they could not themselves purchase property
Shakespeare adds the character of brabantio (not in original story) to add a reason for othellos insecurity and vulnerability to iagos manipulation
in the original play, iago was in love with her
why does shakespeare change this?
