How is the concept of the outsider represented in Othello?
An outsider is someone that is not fully accepted by society. They tend to be shunned and excluded, deemed different and a threat. Outsiders don’t conform to society’s values and beliefs and the concept of this is represented in Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’. In this tragedy, the Outsider alienates themselves by going against sixteenth century attitudes about sex, gender, and race. Shakespeare comments on how a society excludes and mistreats someone different from the paradigm that defines the Venetian society. The tragic figure, Desdemona, is an example of this concept and her actions, and the actions of people around her ultimately doom her.
Desdemona is portrayed as a beautiful, young, Venetian woman. She is first set as an outsider when she chooses to marry an old, black man, Othello over young, wealthy, white Venetians. Interracial marriage was highly uncommon and looked down upon. This is clearly shown when Iago makes racial comments about Othello, “Even now, now, very now an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”. Iago’s use of black and white imagery degrades Othello and gives the impression that he has defiled the pure ‘white ewe’, Desdemona. Iago clearly doesn’t approve and sees the union of black and white as a bestial one. Shakespeare uses repetition (now, now, very now) to emphasise the particular idea that what is happening is shocking. Shakespeare is deliberately startling and troubling the audience, using the terms black and white to reflect the binary opposition of marriage between black and white which was seen as a violation of the taboo of miscegenation.
Desdemona lives in patriarchal society, a time where men held all the power in Venetian society. Women in the 16th century were required to be ornamental, docile, passive and obedient. She alienates herself from other women by speaking her mind and making herself an equal among men. This is clearly shown when she is telling her father that she obeys Othello over Brabantio, “I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband….So much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor my lord”. This can be seen as a challenge to patriarchal times as women did not question or defy their fathers.
When Desdemona stands up and speaks directly to the Duke, “Most gracious duke, to my unfolding lend your prosperous ear”, the audience is given the first impression of Desdemona as good-natured. This remains constant throughout the remainder of the play, and again refers to light and dark imagery, revealing Desdemona’s angelic qualities. It is a prominent impression that means that the audience emphasises with the events towards the end of the play, provoking a more emotive response from the audience.
Desdemona’s gender in general, also casts her out as an outsider. Women had different social values and status in the Venetian society. ‘Othello’ demonstrates the expectations of the patriarchal society and the suppression and restriction of femininity. Women were to be held responsible for household duties and child-rearing and were to remain obedient to all men, especially their husbands. Women were thought to physiologically and psychologically inferior to men. Shakespeare deliberately makes use of male stereotypes reflecting contemporary conventional views. This idea was clearly shown, when speaking about his beloved wife, Othello claims that he has “won his daughter”. Desdemona is just a prize with no freedom or own will, which represents the time. This is again proven when Othello informs the Duke that “To his conveyance I assign my wife”. Desdemona is just a possession to be treated just like all his other belonging and be guarded and transported by Iago.
Desdemona’s beauty and the men’s desire for her also led to her downfall. At the beginning of ‘Othello’, Roderigo admits his love for Desdemona to Iago. He claims that he has lost her forever and will “incontinently drown myself” due to his great depression over the matter. This is where Iago first insinuates that Desdemona can’t possibly love the Moor and that she will once tire of him and look elsewhere for love. The audience begins to question Desdemona’s angelic qualities. Her virtue is being “turned to pitch”, her interracial marriage believed to be ruining her good qualities which had been anticipated due to the unthinkable act of interbreeding races. She is suddenly portrayed as an evil temptress, prone to adultery. This creates suspense, and keeps the audience guessing what will ensue in the following acts.
When Othello makes his accusations and repeatedly insults Desdemona, calling her a “subtle whore”, “O thou weed”, and “whore”, she is given no chance to explain herself. She is again just a prize with no free will and because she is a woman is therefore inferior to Othello. This example of dramatic irony contributes to the impact of the play on the audience and invokes outrage from the audience who now know that she is innocent. Desdemona undergoes a dramatic transformation over the course of the play. At the beginning, she is out-spoken and adventurous – when Othello is ordered by the Duke to go to Cyprus, Desdemona begs to go along. She couldn’t stand to miss out on all the action. By the play’s end, Desdemona is so beaten down from all the abuse that she’s rather passive when Othello strangles her and, in her dying breath, she blames herself for Othello’s physical and emotional abuse, “Commend me to my kind lord”. This is a blatant reminder that Desdemona is the real victim in this tragic play.
Desdemona lives in a time where stereotypical women were passive, gentle and obedient. She goes against the paradigm of Venetian society by being outspoken and strong-willed. Her marriage to an old, black man, Othello, outrages everyone around her because of the unacceptable, unmentionable union of black and white. This union represents black and white imagery which is prominent throughout the play. The audience perceives that Desdemona is white due to her purity and the many angelic qualities she is given whilst Othello is black, blackening and tainting Desdemona. She is changed over the course of the play, first depicted as an innocent ‘angelic’ virgin, then as an evil temptress, a ‘whore’. She was adventurous, then passive, a victim. She is constantly portrayed as just a prize, inferior to men who dominate the Venetian society. Women were to remain submissive and meek at all times. Her actions ultimately doom her for setting herself aside from the social strata.