OTHER PERSPECTIVES

Criticism section

https://confluence.gallatin.nyu.edu/context/interdisciplinary-seminar/gender-conflict-in-othello

Interview with Dr Haley supporting my critic

When I asked my professor about how women are portrayed in Othello, she explained that while the play shows women in a restrictive and submissive role, it also highlights their strength and intelligence. During Shakespeare’s time, women were often treated as property—expected to obey their fathers and husbands without question. In Othello, we see this in how Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca are controlled by the men around them. However, my professor pointed out that these women are not weak; they each show resilience in their own way.
 
 She also connected this idea to real-world examples, explaining that even today, many women still struggle for equal rights and respect in different parts of the world. In some cultures and workplaces, women are expected to act a certain way, just like Desdemona was expected to be a perfect, obedient wife. But, as my professor emphasized, women are not just “slaves or property”—they are individuals with their own thoughts, voices, and strengths.
 
 Her response helped me see that while Othello reflects the oppression of women in the past, it also speaks to ongoing gender struggles. The play challenges us to think about how far we’ve come—and how much further we still need to go—to ensure women are seen as equals, not possessions.

Rebuttal Section

Some critics argue that the female characters in Othello—Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca—are not merely treated as property but exercise a significant degree of agency and influence in the play. They point to Desdemona’s bold decision to marry Othello against her father’s wishes, Emilia’s outspoken critique of gender inequality, and Bianca’s open defiance of societal norms as evidence that women in Othello are not powerless.
 
 However, this argument overlooks the structural oppression that defines their existence. While Desdemona makes an independent choice in marriage, she is still ultimately controlled by the men around her—her father sees her as his possession, Othello doubts her loyalty based on Iago’s manipulation, and she has no real means to prove her innocence. Emilia, despite her strong words about gender injustice, remains trapped in a toxic marriage with Iago, who dismisses and mistreats her. Even Bianca, who challenges expectations as an unmarried woman involved with Cassio, is ridiculed and demeaned, showing that any attempt at female autonomy is met with scorn.
 
 Thus, while these women display moments of resistance, their fates reinforce the reality that they are viewed as property—used, discarded, and ultimately silenced by a male-dominated world. This strengthens the thesis that Othello portrays women as slaves to the expectations and desires of men, lacking true autonomy or value beyond their relationships with them.
 
 Extra Credit: Modern Comparison

 A compelling modern comparison is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Like the women in Othello, the female characters in The Handmaid’s Tale are treated as property, stripped of their rights, and forced into roles dictated by a patriarchal society. Desdemona’s expected obedience to Othello parallels the handmaids’ forced submission to their male commanders. Similarly, Emilia’s realization of the deep injustices against women mirrors the awakening of characters like Offred, who gradually recognizes the full extent of her oppression. Both works highlight the ways in which patriarchal control reduces women to objects, reinforcing the idea that female autonomy is systematically undermined in societies built on male dominance.