gender relations Flashcards
(16 cards)
iago to othello
“i speak not of proof”
despite iago admitting there is no basis on these allegations, his reputation and gender protects him from othellos distrust
symbolises the inpenetratable male unity built from the distrust or dislike of women, iago doesnt need proof he just needs to be a man and to build on othellos existing insecurities and distrust of all women
iago about desdemona to othello
“her will, recoiling”
“recoiling” implies a release and a return to natural state, demonstrating the joint male belief in women being naturally unfaithful- desdemonas faithfulness just being an act
reminder of iagos misogynistic motivations for including desdemona in the plan, and othellos own misgoyny for believing him
othello about desdemona (soliloquy)
“if i do prove her haggard”
haggard as another word for a wild, untamed hawk- presents desdemona as something dangerous due to its species and wildness
zoomorphism is iagos signature reflecting how iago has tainted othellos mind with hate and how he has influenced othello through their shared speaking patterns
desdemona about staying home when othello goes to war
“moth of peace”
vulnerable
eat away at clothes
ignored
left in the dark yearning for the light
eating away at the domestic
desdemonas upper class and whiteness not saving her proves what
function in the play as a symbol of female othering, overpowering any other social or personal strengths
“i have not deserved this”
tragic difference in desdemonas actions and perception
explores for women, your fate is always in the hands of men her existance and fate relies on how she is ruled by how the men around her view her.
she doesnt have the power to change the mens mind, they build on each other without her control, and they dictate her life
desdemona post death scene
(stays lying in foreground)
she stays on the scene
the visual reminder of her death and everything it symbolises
and she cannot be removed / forgotten
the martyring of desdemona + emilia
bodily death does nothing to kill political or philosophical ethos
othello justifying his plan to kill desdemona
“yet she must die, else shell betray more men
put out the light”
assumption that desdemona is innately distrustful, due to contemporary prejudices on women
“light” as a metaphor for desdmenoas life, blinding vs illuminating, the villification of women traits
also once he puts out the ‘light’ he will be fully comitted to his delusions (the dark, unclear, lies, prejudice - seeing what he wants to see rather than the truth)
setting of act 4 scene 3
(willow scene)
2 women isolated within the scene
with opposing views / attitudes
shows full spectrum of female behaviour and identity (reflecting the complexity of women matching that of mens)
also reflecting women beyond an extension of their husbands, beyond the titles of wives or whores
also important because reflects the women are just side characters within the tragedy, but victims affected deeply, yet lacking the control to fix it - the women recognise what is wrong but are limited in their societal power, stuck within a preventable tragedy
metaphor of the “willow” in the willow song
reflecting of the weeping - reflective of the collective female suffering as something inescapable, and hidden
shared experience of the women in the play
willow song scene
“sing willow”
willow trees are often used to symbolize grief, sorrow, and mourning
they can also represent flexibility (female passivity), resilience, and even a connection to the lunar realm.
emilia in willow scene
“let husbands know
their wives have sense like them: they see, and smell,
and have their palates for sweet and sour,
as husbands have.”
again idea that women are included in discussions of humanism at the time, and women as inherantly different to men, leading to the distrust that causes the tragedy
women are aware of their sameness, but cannot be communicated to men due to their assumption of women as liars
iago to othello about desdemona cheating
“i speak not yet of proof”
the proof is not needed when othello already has the prejudice and internal misogyny
othello already will believe iago, even without proof, because it reflects what he believes of women, even if not desdemona herself
iago to othello about desdemona cheating
“she did deceive her father, marrying you;”
forcing othello to acknowledge that desdemona isnt a completely subservient women, making him believe she is rebellious in all way
doesnt see the act as overwhelming loyalty to him, but as proof she is a whore, as she is not a saint
context of upper class women being economical for families at the time
iago to othello about desdemona cheating
“though i may fear
her will, recoiling to her better judgement,”
“recoiling” emphasising male perspective that adultry is womens natural state
- misogyny
(eve - women naturally tempted)
