In certain works of literature, there are characters which are often misunderstood and considered as insignificant. Desdemona from the William Shakespeare’s play “Othello” is one of them. In reality, Desdemona is a relevant and complex character which offers a lesson to those who live in modern day society. Though she may appear irrelevant in Othello, Desdemona is actually a significant character in the play. It is true that she is only a secondary character. However, this does not mean her role in the play must be disregarded. Desdemona is crucial in moving the plot forward and the absence of her character would greatly alter the story.
The play is basically driven by the Iago’s scheme of revenge against Othello for choosing to promote Michael Cassio as lieutenant instead of him. Though he did not directly offend Roderigo, Othello became the enemy of the former because of his marriage to Desdemona. Roderigo wanted Desdemona and asked for her hand in marriage in the past. With the news of Desdemona’s secret marriage to Othello, Iago and Roderigo found themselves against a single enemy. If Desdemona’s character was absent, Roderigo would have no reason to act against Othello. Iago would have proceeded on his plan alone and would have had a lesser chance of succeeding.
Desdemona is truly a significant character in the play, though the readers or audience may not understand her significance. After all, she is depicted as a weak and powerless character. She plays the passive and subservient wife who is extremely faithful to her husband. The reader or audience may think negatively of her, as she takes responsibility for her own death even when Othello was the one who killed her. Instead of telling the truth, Desdemona covered up her husband’s deed through this response: “Nobody, I myself. Farewell. / Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell!” (5. 2. 133-134).
Through her evident submission, Desdemona gave the readers and audience enough reason to believe she was a helpless character without conviction. How the readers and audience view Desdemona is similar to the view of the other characters in the story. Lodovico once called her, “Truly, an obedient lady” (4. 1. 248). Both Iago and Othello held Desdemona in a negative light because they thought she was also weak and vulnerable. Iago has a generally hateful attitude towards women, and Desdemona was not exempted from his anger (Cahn 49). He saw her simply as a sexual being whose main role is to satisfy her husband in bed.
Iago said, “Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk. / You rise to play and go to bed to work” (2. 1. 117-118). Even Desdemona’s own husband had negative things to say about her. Othello justified the murder to Emilia by saying, “She turned to folly, and she was a whore” (5. 2. 141). Hence, the readers, audience and the other characters view Desdemona similarly: they view her as an insignificant and powerless character. There is a remarkable difference between the others’ view of Desdemona and Desdemona’s view of herself. Desdemona’s view of herself is rather complex.
She does see herself the way others see her; she knows that she is obedient, submissive and faithful. However, this does not mean that she considers herself as a weak and worthless individual. Desdemona also sees herself as a strong, independent and assertive woman. It must be noted that she has good reason to perceive herself this way. Throughout the play, Desdemona had shown that she was capable of standing up for herself many times. When the play started, she had already displayed her independence by marrying a man from another race against his father’s wishes (Rosenberg 6).
Her disobedience towards her father proved she was not the passive character people thought she was, as she was capable of making decisions for herself. Desdemona also proved her strength when she defended Othello to her father. Barbanzio asked her, “Where most you owe obedience? ” (1. 3. ). With much conviction, she replied: “My noble father/ I do perceive here a divided duty” (1. 3. 179-180). She explained that while she had a duty towards her father who had given her life and education, she also had a duty towards her husband.
This was the reason why she told her father, “So much I challenge that I may profess/ Due to the Moor my lord” (1. 3. 187-188). There were other instances where Desdemona proved that she was a strong woman who had her own voice. In Act 2, Scene 3 of the play, she responded to Iago’s verbal attacks with wit. She was able to hold her ground against the insults that Iago thrown her way. Another incident where Desdemona asserted herself was when she attempted to persuade Othello to restore Cassio (Rosenberg 6). She told her husband, “I prithee name the time, but let it not/ Exceed three days.
In faith, he’s penitent” (3. 3. 63-64). Lastly, she also asserted herself when Othello hit her. She knew she was not worthy of such treatment when she responded, “I have not deserved this” (4. 1. 241). These situations reveal that while Desdemona was a meek and faithful wife, she was also an independent and assertive woman. Hence, there is a discrepancy between the way others viewed her and the way she viewed herself. While the play was written in the 17th century, Desdemona’s characters have something to offer those living in the present. One of the themes which can be related to the character is fidelity.
She proved to be a faithful wife to Othello. However, while faithfulness is important, one must not be too faithful in the point of utter surrender. Desdemona was too faithful to Othello that she claimed his sin as hers. The character of Desdemona is more complex and important than assumed. Her character is crucial in the action within the play. Also, she is more than the meek and faithful wife that people perceive her to be. In addition, her fate in the play provides a lesson in modern day society. Hence, Desdemona truly is a remarkable character.
