Kahn, Edward. “Desdemona and the Role of Women in the Antebellum North.” Theatre Journal, vol. 60, no. 2, 2008, pp. 235–255. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25070199. Accessed 26 June 2021.
Kahn argues that the varied interpretations of Desdemona’s character during the post-civil war period was a reflection of Northern culture. This time period reflected a shift in attitudes about race and sex, and Desdemona became a “cultural icon” for many men and women (235). The main discussion topics took on three main forms: Desdemona as the virtuous woman who is the expert on human emotions, as the sensible woman reflected the “cult of domesticity”, or as a reflection of the women’s abolitionist movement (251). Kahn examines performances during this time period to support his analysis, but spends much time examining the writings of two critics: John Quincy Adams and Norman Hudson. Adams maintains that Desdemona is a “wonton figure” who betrays “her father, her family, her sex, and her country” (245). In addition, Adams spends time critiquing interracial marriage. In contrast, Hudson focuses on the women’s movement and separates Desdemona from it while also arguing for female passivity (251). The article examines arguments for and against the varying portrayals of Desdemona but maintains that she was a fluid figure that was used to justify a political point of view.
-Tracie Yule
