Desdemona, Othello

 "I do perceive here a divided duty."

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the reader is introduced to Desdemona as the daughter of the Venetian senator Barbanzio. She is a smart, respectful, self-thinking and somewhat assertive daughter. The reader quickly notices how ingenious Desdemona is in just the first act, when she is asked by the Senate of Venice whether Othello bewitched her to elope with him because Barbanzio seems to think so, she says, “My noble father I do perceive here a divided duty… I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband. (1.3.210)” Not only does she vindicate Othello and implies that she marry Othello because she loves him but she also publicly chooses Othello over her father. This move was very bold and brave on Desdemona’s part. It also insulted and hurt Barbanzio so much that he denounced her as his daughter. She then persuades the Duke to let her go live with Othello. At the end of Act 1, Desdemona’s sense of Independence and strong personality is well established and reinforce to the reader.

Midway through Act 3, Desdemona’s sense of self is shaken and question by both herself and Othello when a handkerchief given to her by Othello goes missing (stolen by Emilia under the directions of her husband Iago). Iago begins to torment Othello with vivid descriptions of Desdemona having sexual relations with another man. Othello eventually begins to think that Desdemona is indeed having an affair because Iago orchestrated a few situations to suggest so and also because Desdemona cannot provide the handkerchief. Othello now begins to abuse and humiliate Desdemona whenever possible. During the early stages of the physical abuse, namely when Othello strikes Desdemona in front of Lodovico, she quickly protests by saying, “I have not deserved this (4.1.268)” and when the verbal assaults begin, she objects, “By heaven, you (Othello) do me wrong (4.2.93).” Desdemona still maintained a sense of independence even during her marriage yet this independence gradually fades as the plot unfolds. Othello continues the abuse by calling her a “whore” and repeatedly refers to her as “devil”.

As the abuse continues, Desdemona slowly begins to lose her sense of self with every insult, she moves from been a bold, assertive speaker to a self-effacing, passive, miserable, abused wife. Desdemona becomes so unhappy and emotional distraught that she begins to think of death, this character development is apparent when she shows Emilia the sheets she wants to be buried in when she dies after telling her a tragic love story. Even in this state of mind, Desdemona still believes and fight for love, when Emilia implies that women have the same needs as men while talking about marital infidelity, Desdemona strongly disagrees. Desdemona is eventually smothered to death by Othello because he thinks she had an affair. Othello stifles Desdemona’s personality; he literally stifles the speech that made her so powerful.

Desdemona was used as a meets to an end. She was used by Iago to seek revenge on Othello for promoting Cassio instead of him. Desdemona calls her death, “guiltless (5.2.151)” because she finally understands that Othello was misled. When asked who killed her, Desdemona replies, “Nobody. I myself (5.2.153)." Shakespeare’s final portrayal of Desdemona is quite disturbing and annoying; he finally reduces her to a self loathing dying wife.