Essay Questions

After reading the contemporary play Desdemona, do you think that women are own enemies?

Naturally, women tend to disregard and devalue themselves a fact that illustrates the reason why they still lag behind in many development aspects. In this story, women such as Emilia and other white-colored female maids are inconspicuously criticizing Desdemona arguing that she is an inexperienced, ill-mannered, and privileged woman. However, the truth depicted by the author is that Desdemona is a confident and outspoken woman, despite the normal flaws. The implication in this story shows that women only see flaws in their fellow women and they use that for critiquing and gossiping against each other. It is, therefore, true that women are enemies of their own and that impacts negatively on their progress.

What symbolic about the name ‘Desdemona’?

The name Desdemona is emblematic in this novel because it represents suffering and doom. Desdemona agrees that her name is a reflection of the sufferings she has gone through in her lifetime. However, she is now proudly looking back and sees how she has transformed to be an outspoken woman despite all the challenges she went through while growing up. The people who were dear to her as her mother participated a lot in making her life miserable. Despite all this, Desdemona accepts that she did not choose a name that means suffering by choice but it just happened.

Who is Desdemona and what is her significance in the story?

Morrison has written this playscript to narrate the life of Desdemona. In the play, the author has not focused on Desdemona’s marital life with her husband Othello, but her life history and progress. She is described as a confident woman and outspoken despite going through many challenges while growing up. Desdemona grew up under the care of an abusive mother who could lock her in a cage for several occasions.