Student Question
How does Shakespeare portray duty in Othello?
Quick answer:
Shakespeare portrays duty in "Othello" through Desdemona's conflict between her obligations to her father, Brabantio, and her husband, Othello. When Brabantio accuses Othello of bewitching Desdemona, she articulates her "divided duty" in Act 1, Scene 3, acknowledging her lifelong duty to her father but asserting her new duty to Othello. This highlights her internal struggle and the societal expectations of loyalty and obedience in familial and marital relationships.
After Brabantio learns of the secret marriage between Othello and Desdemona, he takes Othello to trial and accuses him of having bewitched his daughter. Desdemona experiences a conflict between her duties to both her father and Othello, whom she eloped without Brabantio's permission, knowing that he would oppose the marriage and demand obedience. She expresses this internal dilemma in act 1, scene 3:
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.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.