the trouble with gender in othello - Auburn University Electronic ...
the trouble with gender in othello - Auburn University Electronic ... the trouble with gender in othello - Auburn University Electronic ...
Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds. […] your rise to play, and go to bed to work. (II.i.125-128, 131) Iago, as I will discuss later in this thesis, performs the role of the re-enforcer of the status quo. Therefore, we can take that his “script” is the “script of the oppressive status quo” (Falluga). Desdemona, had she followed the script that she was meant to, would still have been doomed. Because a prominent script in the early 17 th century stated that women were carnal beings, Iago does not even have to work very hard to convince Othello of Desdemona’s treachery. Othello has lived in Venice long enough to be aware of the script that controls the patriarchy there. However, Perhaps one of the most debated and discussed lines in Othello, the one that causes nearly all critics that discuss the character of Desdemona are driven in one way or another to explain, are Desdemona’s dying words: “Emilia: O, who hath done this deed? Desdemona: Nobody—I myself.” (V.ii. 148-149) This line is often used to support critics’ arguments that Desdemona is complicit in her own death, either by her willingness to lie with her immortality at hand or by her supposed passivity. I would not completely disagree that Desdemona’s dying words and actions in her death imply a certain complicity, but I would not agree that she is represented as deserving death at the hands of 17
her husband. However, there can be no denial that it is her actions, her disruptions of the patriarchy from within the discussed matrix of power that she lives in, have led to her final moments on stage. If the status quo is to be restored, then those who have transgressed must be removed. Desdemona’s dying words are an admittance of complicity; they are not, however, apologetic or regretful as is seen in her statement, “A guiltless death I die” (V.ii.147). If, for the patriarchal status quo to be maintained, strict adherence to the “script” must be maintained, then Desdemona (as well as Othello, whose end we shall discuss shortly) must, perforce, have an awareness of the ways in which she has violated the societal norms, the ways in which she has not performed her gender (as well as race and culture) correctly. Therefore, it was “she, herself” that made the decisions that led to her violent death. With immortality at hand, Desdemona takes back her subjectivity, reclaims herself as an “I”. Desdemona, although she attempts it at times, refuses to be returned permanently to her status as object, therefore the only conclusion that will allow a return to the status quo is her death. By Iago’s machinations and Othello’s actions, Desdemona is, to put it crudely, reduced back to an object. For what is more lifeless or less individual than a dead body? She is even referred to as such in the final lines of the play: “Lodvico: Look on the tragic loading of this bed. This is thy work. The object poisons sight: Let it be hid.”(V.ii.420-421) Further, under the pressure of Othello’s wrath Desdemona begins to lose her ability to 18
- Page 1 and 2: THE TROUBLE WITH GENDER IN OTHELLO:
- Page 3 and 4: THE TROUBLE WITH GENDER IN OTHELLO:
- Page 5 and 6: Acknowledgments In Honor of Fred Fe
- Page 7 and 8: TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: THE
- Page 9 and 10: If, as Butler writes, there is no p
- Page 11 and 12: Another benefit of this type of rea
- Page 13 and 14: and Juliet show what happens after
- Page 15 and 16: legitimacy of the authority, […]
- Page 17 and 18: For Butler, the distinction between
- Page 19 and 20: further understand the subversion i
- Page 21 and 22: (i.e., fitting her gender, race, cu
- Page 23: Therefore, the fact of Desdemona’
- Page 27 and 28: Section Two: Othello in the Matrix
- Page 29 and 30: nearly verbatim, “look to your wi
- Page 31 and 32: Nor to comply with heat, the young
- Page 33 and 34: and leave her home in Venice for a
- Page 35 and 36: is the threat to his gender perform
- Page 37 and 38: fictive revenge schemes in the west
- Page 39 and 40: Desdemona’s exposure of “a limi
- Page 41 and 42: Conclusion The Matrix Restored By r
- Page 43 and 44: of a possible agenda of enforcement
- Page 45 and 46: Lenker, Lagretta Tallent. Fathers a
- Page 47: Notes 1 In this section of her book
her husband. However, <strong>the</strong>re can be no denial that it is her actions, her<br />
disruptions of <strong>the</strong> patriarchy from <strong>with</strong><strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> discussed matrix of power that she<br />
lives <strong>in</strong>, have led to her f<strong>in</strong>al moments on stage. If <strong>the</strong> status quo is to be<br />
restored, <strong>the</strong>n those who have transgressed must be removed. Desdemona’s<br />
dy<strong>in</strong>g words are an admittance of complicity; <strong>the</strong>y are not, however, apologetic<br />
or regretful as is seen <strong>in</strong> her statement, “A guiltless death I die” (V.ii.147). If, for<br />
<strong>the</strong> patriarchal status quo to be ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed, strict adherence to <strong>the</strong> “script” must<br />
be ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed, <strong>the</strong>n Desdemona (as well as O<strong>the</strong>llo, whose end we shall discuss<br />
shortly) must, perforce, have an awareness of <strong>the</strong> ways <strong>in</strong> which she has violated<br />
<strong>the</strong> societal norms, <strong>the</strong> ways <strong>in</strong> which she has not performed her <strong>gender</strong> (as well<br />
as race and culture) correctly. Therefore, it was “she, herself” that made <strong>the</strong><br />
decisions that led to her violent death. With immortality at hand, Desdemona<br />
takes back her subjectivity, reclaims herself as an “I”.<br />
Desdemona, although she attempts it at times, refuses to be returned<br />
permanently to her status as object, <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> only conclusion that will allow<br />
a return to <strong>the</strong> status quo is her death. By Iago’s mach<strong>in</strong>ations and O<strong>the</strong>llo’s<br />
actions, Desdemona is, to put it crudely, reduced back to an object. For what is<br />
more lifeless or less <strong>in</strong>dividual than a dead body? She is even referred to as such<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al l<strong>in</strong>es of <strong>the</strong> play: “Lodvico: Look on <strong>the</strong> tragic load<strong>in</strong>g of this bed.<br />
This is thy work. The object poisons sight: Let it be hid.”(V.ii.420-421) Fur<strong>the</strong>r,<br />
under <strong>the</strong> pressure of O<strong>the</strong>llo’s wrath Desdemona beg<strong>in</strong>s to lose her ability to<br />
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