Othello: Women & Femininity

This 35-slide lesson explores the role of women in Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’.

Perfect for high-attaining students, this lesson analyses how female characters are presented in the tragedy, exploring the roles of Desdemona, Emilia, Bianca and others in light of the play’s themes and Jacobean context.

We consider how various female characters are presented in the play, thinking about how female transgression and disobedience threatens the patriarchal authority of the male characters, and the tragedy that ensues. Fidelity, cuckoldry, and duplicity are explored, as are the roles of key props, such as the handkerchief. Directorial choices and how these might impact our interpretations of female characters are discussed.

Misogynistic language and masculine violence is also debated, while the private and public personalities of characters are deconstructed.

Students are equipped with ambitious vocabulary to facilitate sophisticated analysis of Shakespeare’s characters.

Questions and discussion points are included throughout for students. We consider Shakespeare’s messages and intentions, and students are provided with fascinating critical opinions from academics on the female characters of the play. This is an ideal resource for revising this key element of the play.

PowerPoint saved as PDF.