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Corinna Ayerbe

Matthew Dolloff

Shakespeare

May 25th 2020

To be or not to be a Strong Woman

Othello and As You Like It are two of the plays that Shakespeare has written

that are opposite to each other, while the first is a tragedy, the second one is a

comedy. Each play has female characters that stand out in the play, either because

of their personality or actions, and those factors are the ones that catch the reader’s

attention. Using as examples Desdemona from Othello and Rosalind from As You

Like It, the object of this analysis is to determinate what it takes for a woman to be

“strong” and if Shakespeare is being feminist or anti-feminist in his portrayals.

Before analyzing the characters, first, it may be important to understand in

what kind of world they are in. In both plays, women are placed in a world where men

are the leaders and the ones with the right to choose their path. Females have to fulfil

their role of wives and in more than one case, their futures are in hands of their

husbands or fathers. Considering the context in which our main characters of

analysis are placed: What does it take for a woman to be strong? It is to go against

the rules that are created by men? Being loyal to what you think is right? Or stand by

your husband’s side despite his actions? Because each character has different

circumstances that lead to different endings, it is possible to analyze if they are

considered strong women or not. Also, it makes the reader wonder: If the “strength”

that is analyzed is completely emotional, what does it take to develop it?

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The first woman to be analyzed is Desdemona from Othello, she is a beautiful

white venetian woman who is expected to marry a man named Roderigo. When

Desdemona says, “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”

(1.3.215-2180), she is willing to go against her father and the venetian society in

order to achieve what she wants: to be Othello´s wife. The impact of her actions in

the play makes her a strong woman since the beginning. Even though it seems to be

a decision of the heart, if Othello is analyzed, it can be seen that he represents

everything that the Venetian society does not approve: he is a black man, older than

her and a complete outsider.

Other factor of analysis is that Desdemona wants to be a free person or even

a man, that could live many adventures without fearing what people think, or it could

be a call of attention to the society and their prejudices. Even though external factors

lead to Desdemona´s miserable death, and portrait her as a submissive wife that

cannot stand against her husband, when she says, “Nobody, I myself” (5.2.52), it can

be seen as her accepting that her actions lead her to that ending. She failed to gain

Othello’s trust despite how much they loved each other, because he prefers to trust a

man than the wife that proved how loyal she was to him. There is a saying that a true

man is responsible for his actions, and in this case the true man was Desdemona

and not Othello, who committed suicide cowardly. Her actions make her a strong

woman.
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The next character is Rosalind from As You Like It, she is the daughter of the

Duke Senior, who was been banished by his brother: Duke Frederick. Rosalind

demonstrates to be a humble girl by showing her loyalty to her cousin Celia. Even

though she knows that her own uncle stole the rightful places of her father,

regardless her feelings, she accepts the role as her cousin´s companion. When she

and Celia are banished, is Rosalind who takes the lead, demonstrating who capable

is she to adapt to the situation. When she says, “Because that I am more than

common tall, that I did suit me all points like a man?” (1.3.122-123), the reader

became aware of the physical characteristics that makes Rosalind to chooses the

disguise of a man. Thanks of her disguise, she can face the problems that the forest

brings to her and her cousin.

If the situation and the background of Rosalind is analyzed, she will be

considered a strong woman. Women of aristocratic circles in Shakespeare epoch

had a completely different education than men. Rosalind as the daughter of a Duke,

must has had an education in which being fragile and docile was right for a noble

lady. Now she was thrown into an unknown forest, forced to adopt a whole new

identity and pretend to be of the opposite gender. To survive and protect her cousin,

she does not have to be only intelligent, but also to have the ability to analyze the

situation and have a quick respond. When she says, “I thank God I am not a woman,

to be touched with so many giddy offenses” (3.2.354-355), it shows how hard is the

situation for a woman and what kind of measures does Rosalind must take in order to

survive: lied about who she really is, a woman. Also, she demonstrates to be a born

leader by finding shelter and food for her and her companions and even planning a

quadruple wedding.
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After getting through these two female characters, does Shakespeare is being

feminist? Both worlds had shown that women had a really difficult situation, like been

mistreated and disposed as men likes. The plays can suggest a reflection of the

society in Shakespeare’s time in some way. There is the possibility than he is a

feminist but is difficult to tell without hesitation. Even though Desdemona was allowed

to choose part of her path and Shakespeare is portraying her as an honest woman

that in the end accepts her destiny. It also shows how little woman’s word is worth,

practically they do not have a voice. In the case of Rosalind, she has to create this

alter ego in order to survive and be everything that she cannot be when being the

daughter of a Duke.

In conclusion, what does it takes to be a strong woman in Shakespeare’s

plays? Probably to have will and the determination to act, as it is portrayed in

Desdemona and Rosalind. In both cases the characters know what they want and

are willing to go against of what is right into society’s eyes. They do not bow to

adversity and are honest with themselves. It could be possible that Shakespeare was

giving women the voice that they need at the time, showing that women are capable

of many things as men.