Examples Of Stereotypes In Othello

Embracing the Labels: Female Stereotypes in Othello
Women are to be pretty and looked at. Women are flirts. Women are never in charge. These are just a few, but common stereotypes that females encounter. As much as females try to stray away from this discrimination, some become embodied by them. Shakespeare creates three unique women in his play Othello. Their desire to avoid labels overtakes their rational thought of how a woman should act. By looking at the dialogue and behaviors of the women in Act four of Othello, one understands that they embraced their stereotypical roles; this is important because as much as they want to break away from the norm, they cannot.
One of the main stereotypes seen is submission. Women are still submissive to their husbands then and now. At the beginning, Desdemona appears to be a strong, free willed, independent woman. Iago calls Desdemona out on her unusual female behavior, and Othello starts to notice it as well .Desdemona’s un-lady like behavior affects her, her relationship with Othello, and Cassio. At first Othello admired the way Desdemona behaved. Othello was reading the letter from the duke telling him to return home. Lodovico ask Desdemona how Cassio has been doing. Desdemona explains how Othello and Cassio had an argument, and she hopes they can work things out because she
She obeys her husband without a second thought when he ask her to get ready for bed. She is afraid of upsetting him again. Desdemona and Othello’s relationship now resembles an abusive relationship. Everything was going smoothly when they were perceived as equal. Once Desdemona steps out of line, all hell breaks loose. Now she willingly submits to his beck and call. Desdemona’s actions define the definition of submissive. As much as Desdemona wants to appear like a strong willed woman, she cannot escape the submissive stereotype that is buried deep down inside of