How Do Webster and Shakespeare Use the Duchess of Malfi and Othello as a Forum to Explore a Typical...

How do Webster and Shakespeare use The Duchess of Malfi and Othello as a forum to seem a typical corrupt patriarchal society? The psychoneurotic male desire to dominate, control and punish women that exists in a corrupt patriarchal society is evidenced in the squiffy social hierarchies and moral weakness of the male character, ultimately principal to the deaths of the virtuous and integral female characters. Both playwrights reveal that a patriarchal society although seemingly predicated on the oppression of women, has rules, boundaries and constraints that demonstrate the people into their class, standard of living and level of resentment. In Shakespeares Othello there is evidence of strict social barriers and restraints that are shown in Iagos character in Act 1, Scene 1. He finds himself restricted by the social hierarchy of a one-sixteenth century society in which birth and pedigree play off to status and he resents it. I know my price, I am wort h no worse a place (1.1.11) He envies Cassios promotion to lieutenant, the position that he wanted to be in and he determines that it is the fault of his superior, Othello, as even though his master is black he has a higher identify and status because of Othellos prowess as a general. Iagos character parallels a low ranking character in the other play, The Duchess of Malfi. Bosola too is denied the opportunity to rise through the stung social structure. Blackbirds fatten best in hard digest; why not I in these dog days? (1.1.37) He too searches for a way to raise his indite in society and concludes that entering the corrupt system by employment in the name of Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria his only option, He and his sidekick are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools; they are oerladen with fruit, except none precisely crows, pies, and caterpillars feed on them (1.1.48) The simile is representative of the corruption in the society as the two ar istocratic brothers should be the laughing! stock of purity, virtue...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderEssay.net

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