1995 Alienation
Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Choose a novel or a play in which such a character plays a significant role and show how that character’s alienation reveals the surrounding society’s assumptions or moral values.
Othello
I think the obvious answer this question would be to analyze the fact that Othello is alienated due the color of his skin, however I believe it would be just as important to look at Emilia's alienation as woman who breaks the gender roles of her time period. Women at this time were expected to be obedient and submissive. Emilia however is open about the fact that she would possibly cheat on her husband given the circumstances and the fact that she refuses to stand by her husband's side once she discovers she has wronged Othello and Desdemona. Emilia's action would force her to endure a lot of criticism from the members of her society.
ReplyDeleteI immediately thought of Othello's physical alienation, but I didn't even think about Emilia's alienation. That's a really good point!
DeleteBrooke is absolutely right. Othello, while alienated due to his race, still manages to earn a position of power. If he had truly been alienated would he really have become general? Emilia truly stands against her alienation. She is intelligent when all women were thought to be dumb, loyal when others are constantly doubted, but not so loyal that she would trade in her own morals for those of her husband. She deliberately goes against him as soon as she realizes the horrible things that he has done.
ReplyDeleteTrue. Othello is discriminated against because of his skin color. However, he is still respected and trusted by the Italian people. Women on the other hand are not treated with respect or equality. As Brooke mentioned, the moment that Emilia broke free from her societal stereotype was a huge turning point in the play. I think that it is meant to demonstrate that people should not conform to predetermined roles and expectations.
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