William Shakespeare
I have a burning fiery hatred for Iago. He has undoubtedly aroused the forceful feminist in me. The scene in which Emilia, Desdemona, and Iago discuss the roles and general position of women shapes Iago to be the ultimate villain: manipulative, revengeful, cunning, and misogynistic! They discuss four different kinds of women: smart and beautiful, smart and ugly, dumb and beautiful, and dumb and ugly. First of all, categorizing women into categories of "fair and black" strips women of obviously their value as human beings, but also of their individuality. It minimalizes women to be not only second class citizens, but even less than human, serving simply of objects characterized by their beauty for men to be pleased by. When Iago answers Desdemona as to what would make the perfect woman, he responds, "to suckle fools and chronicle small beer" (II.i.159). This section was just painful to read, especially keeping in mind that things haven't actually changed that much, after all, the "make me a sandwhich/women in the kitchen jokes" are still very much a part of everyday "comedy". What's even more pathetic is that women laugh along with these "jokes"! You are feeding into your own oppression!! You are contributing and encouraging the society that treats you and teaches you that you are less than men! You are laughing along with misogynist gender roles that have for hundreds and thousands of years led to your own oppression! Yes- I, Rachel Brown, am part of the radical movement that recognizes the full equality and humanity of both women and men.
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