#AltEnd: Othello, If Desdemona Were A Feminist

Othello:

“Yes, presently.

Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;

Cannot remove nor choke the strong conception

That I do groan withal. Thou art to die…….”

Desdemona stands in disbelief, shook by the allegations made by her husband, her love, her confidant. She weeps in anger and clenches her fist to smack hard on his brown cheeks, and cries out loud to defend her honor. “I breached my father’s orders, accompanied you to Cyprus for what? To be questioned about my chastity?” she wails.

She continues, “If you want to kill me, then go ahead since you’re the general and I must obey your orders. But before that, I demand a trial! Call out Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Emily, and every other human who knows very well how to manipulate you,  more than you could ever understand me.”

Desdemona’s words not only jarred him but only challenged him as a leader. Her speech made him question his nature to get influenced by others very easily. And as a man filled with hubris, he was not going to tolerate his wife to confront him, so this time he raised his voice to prove his preposterous argument “How dare you, sinful woman! Nobody speaks to Othello this way, for he is the bravest soldier in the whole town, whose stories of gallantry and valor made you the slave of his love.”

“I am nobody’s slave except for my self-respect! So if my self-respect is ridiculed, I will no longer stay and shall fly high like a soaring kite and never shall turn around to look at you.” She announces, “I, Desdemona daughter of Brabantio, the Duke of Venice shall no longer be your wife and soon will send you the legal papers for our separation, for you are indeed a MOOR, not because of your race but because you are both proud and thwarted who’ll meet his waterloo if you cannot distinguish between treachery and loyalty. And by treachery, I was referring to the person who empoisoned you against me.”

Desdemona turns away from a heart-broken Othello, and walks with confidence and impeccability.

Featured Image: news.fordham.edu