Gender Roles in Othello

Gender Roles in Western Literature

Gender roles, although they may change substantially or be tweaked depending on the era and culture, generally remain constant in western literature. They are typically based upon Christian ideals set out for men and woman as described in Ephesians 5:21-33. Men are commanded to love their wives as themselves just as Christ loved the church, and women are commanded to obey their husbands just as the church submits to Christ. In the texts “Othello”, the “Woman of Bath” from the “Canterbury Tales”, and “Marie de France”, the gender roles of men and women follow these guidelines and differ only slightly depending on what the culture of the time values most.

In “Othello”, which takes place in late 15th century Italy, a man’s worth is determined according to his prowess as a soldier, ability to bring honor to a family, but above all he is expected to be of high and respectable status. In a way, these qualities relate to those prescribed by the Bible to men since men are described as beings “head of the wife” which can be interpreted as being a strong leader (Ephesians 5:22). The fact that the Shakespearian tragedy centers on a war between the Venetians and the Turks emphasizes a man’s need to appear as a capable and respected leader. Women on the other hand were prized if their natures tended towards a quiet, patient, obedient, and chaste demeanor. The main couple, Othello and Desdemona, most exhibits these qualities, although they are ruined by other characters’ misconceptions of their qualities (i.e. Roderigo and Brabanzio’s prejudice against Othello’s status and Othello’s misunderstanding of Desdemona’s chastity). It is evident early on that being of a certain status is the most important component of a man’s gender role when Roderigo and Iago are slandering Othello despite his military prowess because of his blackness and origin. If he were white, Othello would be a coveted husband by any father for his daughter, but instead his...