Othello- “An examination and critical evaluation of social and behavioural expectations in a patriarchal context.”

Othello by William Shakespeare is a play which a contemporary audience could interpret as an attack on the patriarchal society Shakespeare lived in. A modern reading of Othello could find that a patriarchal society enforces and expects behaviours and actions of people, which leads to a suppression of one’s morals and identity. Throughout the play, certain characters and events show the audience how social conventions, especially regarding class and gender, limit personal freedoms and individuality. My thesis will examine how different class levels have different restrictions and advantages, because of the views of Shakespeare’s patriarchal society. It will also explore how characters are seen to be restrained and vulnerable to the play’s tragic events because of gender expectations and attitudes. The conventions in a patriarchal society is can be seen to be more restrictive to a contemporary audience, as attitudes towards class and gender have changed greatly over time.

Throug...