Desdemona

Characterisation

Her stock characters: the good wife and a witty/intellectual woman

To what extent is she fautless?

A 'child to chiding'- either has always been good or Brabantio has spoiled her, letting her believe she can have her own way, especially as she has no qualms about eloping with Othello

Does add to the tragedy with lying over the handkerchief, and has already shown deceptive behaviour, e.g. having an aside in Act 2 Sc 1

Does ask Emilia to 'commend me to my Lord' and takes the blame for her murder

Names and name-calling

Names and descriptions of her as her reputation is at stake and the heart of the play, according to people like Lisa Jardine. At the time of production, questioning a woman's virtue was a stronger insult of it could be her downfall and disgrace her husband's name.

The names given to her are either in the highest, divine-like praise or lowest form of insult, her being 'double-damned' (Act 4, Sc 1)-there is no middle way, like the 'Madonna/whore' paradox

Her naivety when nobleness is concerned is a bit like Othello's, which could say that, although she may not be as innocent as Brabantio assumes, she is not as worldly with the deception of appearances.

Also, she does show (modern day) sense about men- 'see men not as gods'- which, although not as crude or worldly, could be similar to Emilia

Easily victimized by Iago and Othello, especially as she becomes more of a 'moth of peace' than ever before, by the end of Act 4, Sc 2 when 'he strikes her'

Different views on her

The end

A.C Bradely: Desdemona is a 'paragon' of 'sweetnees and virtue'

Historic reading by Lisa Jardine: 'It doesn't matter that a woman is called a whore it matters when and where she is'. 'Desdemona two remaining scenes focus on her new supposedly culpable (deserving blame) sexuality, culminating in her suffocation on her bed in a state of undress- a whore's death for all her innocence'

Huminger: 'Love and good defeat evil-sacrifical love'

'By Heaven you do me wrong'- is this a cry for women against the behaviour of men? But would Shakespeare be that concerned with a social group that he was not part of?

Is Shakespeare criticizing the virtue of obedience and expected passivity in women?

Could he also be making a point about tragedy for women whether they conform or not?

But why Desdemona? To make a point of what was wrong with expected behaviour of women?

Or is this more bringing to light the failures of men?

Feminism was not a thing then so the questions raised by this may not be the ones that were raised during the production

Desdemona is not the only one who suffers from this- suffering at hands of men in a common way? Would the original audience expect much more from that?