A* ESSAY ON PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY IN OTHELLO AQA ENGLISH LIT
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Course
Aspects of Tragedy
Institution
AQA
Book
Othello
This is an A* 21/25 mark essay on explore the significance of patriarchal society in Othello. Perfect exemplar for AQA English Literature B Paper 1a exams.
Othello quote bank organised into themes without analysis - all acts included
Othello revision booklet AQA A Level English Lit B
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Explore the significance of patriarchal society in Othello.(25marks)
Shakespeare explores the significance of patriarchal society through the nature of man and
the treatment of women. Shakespeare seems to suggest men in the play mistreat woman as
they allow themselves to be mistreated, this is depicted through the eventual death of
women in Othello by their husbands.
The role of patriarchy seems to be established in the beginning when Brabantio is informed
of Desdemona’s absence, “how she got out” shows how he is distressed by her disobedience
and reflects her restricted freedoms, as women of high class were expected to maintain
their reputation and be confined indoors. Furthermore, he later proclaims “she is abused,
stolen from me” which again reflects the views of society and how women were first the
property of their father “to you I am bound for life and education”, and were expected to
follow a sense of silence, obedience and composure. However, Desdemona defies this idea
as she flees without her father's approval to marry someone against his liking. In act one
scene 3, she diplomatically answers to her father, that she will now obey Othello before him
“I challenge that I may profess due to the moor my lord”. Whilst this does display
Desdemona’s willingness to stand up for herself and oppose the social construct set for
women at the time, it ultimately supports the idea of a patriarchal society as she has
essentially been transferred to another man's control, the only freedom within this, is that it
is a man of her choice.
Shakespeare suggests the main characters in Othello view their wives or significant others as
inferiors and merely objects of their lust and physical desire. This idea is particularly carried
out by Iago who believes “love is nearly a lust of the blood, a permission of the will” which
speaks volumes for his and Emilia’s relationship. He also makes provocative comments about
women in act two suggesting they “rise to play and go to bed to work” thus presenting them
and all women as whores. Iago's misogyny is further in emphasised when he describes his
ideal woman to be that “had tongue at will and yet was never loud” thus revealing the
corrupt views of men to control women and have them as objects of their possession. His
misogyny seems not only to be manifested in the treatment of his wife but also Desdemona
as his long prose at the end of act 2 scene 1 reveals his crude and horrid views “her delicate
tenderness will find itself abused… abhor the moor”.
Emelia seems to be the only character who significantly challenges patriarchal ideas as
despite her subservience and desire to nothing but please his fantasy, she does use her voice
to criticise the sexual inequality between men and women, as in act 4 she states, “let
husbands know, their wives have sense like them”. This establishes her perspective on the
unfair expectations of women and that she believes women are not at fault for possible
infidelity as she blames men in the relationship for driving them to it. Emelia further
challenges views on women when she comments unflatteringly on men, saying “they are all
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