Quote Response #8

While reading Shakespeare's play Othello there was one monologue that really caught my attention. Desdemona is speaking: "My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty. To you I am bound for life and education; My life and education both do learn me How to respect you. You are the lord of duty, I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband, And so much duty as my mother showed To you, preferring you before her father, So much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my lord" (1.3, 179-187). I found that saying this to her father carried a heavy weight. I also think that it was important that Desdemona did say this because everyone needs to know that Othello is not just the Moor, he is her husband. I think this was also her way of asking people to respect their marriage and to accept that it won't change. It interesting to me that even in Shakespeare's time these things were happening. That so much hatred went to the "underdogs." I also think that this shows just how important women were then, that Desdemona had the courage to say something shows the audience that women too have things to say and that they should be respected as equal individuals.