The Strong Women of Othello William Shakespeare often portrayed the women in his plays as strong, confident individuals, very different from the stereotypical roles of the era in which he lived. In Much Ado About Nothing, the main character____(search) ---{describe the role}. Similarly, in Macbeth, {discuss the role of Lady Macbeth} Othello's women also exhibited the characteristics of strong, modern women. ....From the beginning of the play we see that Desdemona is a brave and decisive woman who pursues Othello, falling in love with his stories of intrigued adventures, seeing "Othello's face in her mind, as well as his honors and his valiant roles". ..." refusing the attempts of other suitors like Roderigo. We become aware of Desdemona's determination when she marries Othello, despite Iago's accusations that she is under the spell and cheating on her father. When her fiancé is accused of having bewitched her, she immediately defends her love for him "And as much duty as my mother showed you, preferring you to her father, so much so that I can profess this duty to the Moor my lord." many other female characters in Shakespeare, Desdemona does not embody the stereotypical role of 16th century women When Shakespeare wrote Othello, women had few rights and little power in society. They had almost no say. to say in arranging their own marriage and were expected to marry a suitor chosen by their father, however, despite offers from various suitors and discouragement from the public, continues her pursuit of Othello and marries him. Although she is "…bound [to her father] for life and education…", she affirms her belief that she belongs to Othello and has such great love for him, so much so that “a heavy interim will support his absence”. after their escape, the envious Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him. Othello becomes furious, cursing Desdemona like a whore. When Othello questions him, we again see his strong sense of devotion, begging for his trust rather than vehemently defending himself. “I hope my noble lord considers me honest… Alas, what sin of ignorance have I committed? However, his faith in Othello is so strong that it undermines his "modern" and prideful characteristics. Therefore, Desdemona is really not as strong and knowledgeable as initially thought, as she continues to try to maintain Othello's trust, despite his incredibly harsh accusations. Even though her arguments remain strong, the weakness of her character appears, because she does not see the monster that her husband is becoming and does not realize that he trusts Iago, an extremely competitive man with him, beyond his wife's word..