Alexander John M Dy

Mr John Borra III

Lit 102
7 July 2007
The Idea of How Parent/s Can Gradually Lose
Their Daughter’s Love in Shakespeare’s Othello (Act I)

In Act I of Othello, one can picture how Brabanzio deprives Desdemona to be freely
approached by suitors, thereby, creating a gap between them (Brabanzio and Desdemona). This idea is
proven by Brabanzio’s strong rejections towards Roderigo’s courtship (I.i.106-112) and Othello’s
marriage with Desdemona (in I.i.172-173 & I.i.73-80), and Desdemona’s unexpected response to
Brabanzio in front of everyone when she was interrogated about her marriage (I.iii.179-188).
By just reading the lines (response received by Roderigo upon warning Brabanzio), one can

“In honest plainness thou hast heard me say

My daughter is not for thee…” (I.i.108-109)

see how Brabanzio immediately puts a block to any possible suitors of Desdemonde. These lines,
moreover, probably, foreshadow many suitors that attempted to court Desdemonde but failed due to
Brabanzio’s hindrance. Thus, such strict prohibition, theoretically, made Desdemonde grew uneasy
and curious of what is to be courted, loved, and married. This weariness, in turn, made a gap between
Desdemonde and Brabanzio, concealing her marriage to Othello.
Brabanzio, poisoned by Roderigo and Iago’s propagandas against Othello’s ‘unbelievable’
marriage with Desdemona, and unaware of the growing rift between him and daughter Desdemona,
hysterically summoned his people to search for Othello and retrieve his ‘stolen’ daughter. Othello,
being just and honest, just explained the truth between his legal and not coerced marriage and let
Brabanzio hear Desdemona’s side. As Desdemona speaks of her being bound to his father for life and
education, etc. and that her “divided duty” as a wife and a daughter (I.iii.180), she having boldly
stated these words to the public (Iago, Roderigo, Othello, duke, Branbanzio) somehow made
Brabanzio aware of the existing gap between them. Because he realises that concealing a marriage
from your beloved parents means something deep; a problem that needs understanding; nevertheless
is the ascent of the duke in favour of Othello, he made Brabanzio bid them luck and exits the
conversation having in mind that his daughter left her already and did not become obedient to him
(I.iii.240-241). That is why; Brabanzio’s sadness was as gloomy and harsh as what he had deprived
Desdemona of her suitors. Reading between the lines, it is Brabanzio who left Desdemona due to his
pointless restrictions, because if only Brabanzio were a bit lenient, then Desdemona would not
conceal such a very important and once in a lifetime event of her life to her father (Brabanzio),
thereby, not losing his daughter’s life for parents.