The Male Characters View Women As Property That Belongs

The male characters view women as property that belongs to them. Desdemona’s father sees her as a piece of property long before Othello does. When Brabantio approaches Othello for fleeing with Desdemona with his consent, he alleges that Othello is a â€Å"foul thief.† Brabantio’s accuses Othello of stealing his daughter as if she is a piece of property that has been illegally taken away from him: â€Å"O, thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my/ daughter† (1.2.63-64). These same sentiments are spewed earlier in the play when Iago awakens Brabantio that his daughter has run away with Othello: â€Å"Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves! / Look to your house, your daughter and your bags! / Thieves! thieves! (1.1.77-79). It is ironic†¦show more content†¦Although Emilia pleads Desdemona’s innocence, he refuses to listen because he regards a word of a man over a woman’s. He views Desdemona as his possession and he fee ls like he can do whatever he wants to her. Through Emilia’s character, Shakespeare points out the double standards that exist between men and women. Emilia recognizes there s a double standard when it comes to gender and fidelity and she emphatically objects: Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace, /Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know/Their wives have sense like them. They see, and smell, /And have their palates both for sweet and sour, /As husbands have. What is it that they do/When they change us for others? Is it sport? /I think it is. And doth affection breed it? /I think it doth. Is t frailty that thus errs?/It is so too. And have not we affections, /Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have? /Then let them use us well. Else let them know, /The ills we do, their ills instruct us so. (4.3.87-98). According to Emilia, husbands cheat on their wives and often physically abuse them, provoking women to wander. 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