Aim: Why does Desdemona lose her independence to Othello?

Objective: Students will find evidence to support the idea that Desdemona is insecure and easily manipulated by her abusive relationship with Othello.

Procedure:

1. Ask students to find evidence to support Desdemona as a brave, independent woman (answers include the following: Act1.3.208-218: Desdemona defies her father in front of the Duke. Act 1.3.183-293 : Desdemona explains why she should accompany her husband to battle and is granted her wish. Act 2.1.126-196 : Desdemona jokes around with Iago concerning women's roles).
2. Ask students why they may suspect that Desdemona is not as secure as she makes herself out to be (answers are basically surrounded by the fact that Desdemona fell in love with Othello because of his war stories and that may mean she is searching for for someone to take care of her).
3. Ask students to find evidence that Desdemona is weak (answers include the following: a) She becomes scared of Othello when he is jealous and begs him to be kind to her; b) When talking to Emilia, she expresses love for Othello even though he has been treating her so poorly; c) She explains that she cannot imagine such an independent woman as Emilia describes in Act 4; d) She stays with Othello after he slaps her).
4. Direct students to website entitled Teen Advice Online . Direct them to the sections entitled Archive and Articles to search for evidence that weak women stay in abusive relationships. They should record their ideas for class discussion. Because there are no direct links to the individual articles or letters, you must instruct them to search for the letters and articles as follows: Archive: Click on relationships and dating and find the following: "Leave Abusive Relationship?"; "Leave Abusive Boyfriend?"; "Trust is a Process?"; "Is My Guy Abusive?" Articles: Find the following: "Love Thyself"; "Is All Love True Love?" (students can be divided into groups which analyze one article each, or students can browse through all articles, depending on time frame).
5. After students record their answers, list ideas on the board (answers include the following: a) Weak women still love, even after there is physical abuse--Desdemona stays with Othello after he hit her; b) These women feel that everyone views their relationship as perfect and the don't want to lose that--Desdemona feel that her marriage to the valiant Othello is envied by all around; c) The relationship is ruined by jealousy--Othello does not trust Desdemona, but she still views it as a fault of hers that she must make right; d) Abuse is also verbal in such relationships--Othello is verbally abusive, calling Desdemona a whore, to which she again mentally defends his actions; e) Weak women gain security from the love of another--Desdemona sought out the brave Othello because she wanted to be loved by a "strong" man; f) Love should not hurt--Othello clearly wants revenge and Desdemona does not see it. She even defends him in her dying words).