Personifying Womanhood: 
                        A comparative study of Desdemona and Shakuntala

Abstract - Not falling into the trap of discussion on (Indian as well as western) feminism, the paper discusses how Desdemona and Shakuntala are the very image of womanhood. Womanhood can roughly be defined as the qualities considered to be natural to or characteristic of a woman. The character of Desdemona represents a woman of the 17^thcentury England, while Shakuntala represents a woman of the 5^thcentury India. This comparison between east and west is quite interesting. They both chose the man they want to marry and follow the destiny that is quite different. Both are stunningly beautiful, gentle, soft-spoken and radiating youth and elegance. The character of Desdemona in Othello (Shakespeare) and Shakuntala in Abijnana Shakuntalam (Kalidasa) are obedient yet at the same time strong and intelligent. But the characters also point out to the fact that purity of a woman has always been a highly prized virtue, both in Eastern and Western cultures. Both women belong to different country, age, religion and culture. Both are epitome of beauty, virtue, innocence, purity, patience, honesty and trust that is quite typical of the characteristic that are traditionally given to women in society. Consequently, study of both the characters reveals that there are more similarities than differences between their attitudes towards life and love and duty. Love, honor, duty may have different meaning in both cultures but they have corresponding aspirations.

Key Words – #womanhood, #Desdemona, #Shakuntala

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Study of comparative literature aims to trace the transformation and travel of literary genres and texts across time and space. It also explores the acquaintances of literature with history, philosophy, politics, and literary theory.  Today the intersection of literature with other cultural forms such as film, drama, the visual arts, music, new media etc. has become very popular. In this age of globalized, translation studies have also become an important part of the comparative approach to literature. Thus, the comparative study explores literature beyond and across the boundaries of nations, languages and culture. As a result, the comparative field is a highly dynamic, interdisciplinary and collaborative attempt. Consequently, in the age of globalization as we talk about universal feelings and universal expression, the idea of comparative study is not new. Here, it is appropriate to mentions that the name of Bankim Chandra. His essay on Shakuntala, Miranda and Desdemona which appeared in 1873 was in all probability the first comparative study, between English and Sanskrit Drama.

This paper attempts to make a comparative study of two important women characters - Desdemona and Shakuntala. Both belong to difference country, age, religion and culture, yet present a similar approach in their attitude towards love and duty and are the personification of womanhood. At this juncture, it will be appropriate to say a few words that define Womanhood. In a broader sense Womanhood can roughly be defined as the qualities considered to be natural to or characteristic of a woman. In west, The Cult of True Womanhood is a phrase that Barbara Welter uses to define the prevalent philosophy towards women in America during the mid-19th Century. (The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860). This 1966 essay has become a predominant scholastic source for feminist and deconstructionist literary critics. The philosophy, which she portrays as a particular set of demands and expectations, is founded upon four beliefs: Piety, Purity, Submission, and Domesticity.

In fact, the doctrine of Piety, Purity, Submission, and Domesticity has been the passageway for women throughout the ages in nearly all parts of the world, and they continue to hold influence in many cultures and sub-cultures across the world. The Bible also states-

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. )

While eastern views on womanhood are reflected in the words of Swami Vivekananda-

 …the whole force of womanhood is concentrated in motherhood ….The ideal of womanhood in India is motherhood — that marvelous, unselfish, all-suffering, ever-forgiving mother.

 

Women in Hindu culture have been accorded a respectable status in the society. The woman was regarded as having an equally important share in the social and religious life because a man without woman was considered as an inadequate person. There were women scholars who composed hymns of RigVeda. Lopamudra, Gargi and Maitreye were the pioneers among them. Lopamudra, the wife of Agasti rishi, composed two verses of RigVeda. Most of the female characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata were also well educated and had all freedom. But here also the quality of purity, innocence, patience, honesty and trust are considered to be very important.

 
The character of Desdemona in Othello by Shakespeare represents a woman of the 17^thcentury England, while Shakuntala in Abijnana Shakuntalam by Kalidas represent a woman of the 5^thcentury India. This comparison between east and west is quite interesting. Desdemona and Shakuntala both stand for all that are beautiful in womanhood. Both are epitome of beauty, virtue, innocence, purity, patience, honesty and trust that is quite typical of the characteristic that are traditionally given to women in society. Both Desdemona and Shakuntala risk their honour as a woman for the love of a man, and yet they would not take one harsh word that goes against her dignity from that man. They have the softness of the softest flower and yet they are as fierce as fire itself. They have the strength that knows how to bend. Both have the courage to trust. And also have silence that knows how to be expressive when the need arises.

In Othello Desdemona, is introduced as a coy and blushing girl, who turned away the well-groomed Venetian gallants, listens in rapt attention to the romantic stories of Othello’s life.  Her father describes her as –

A maiden never bold                                 Of spirit so still and quite, that her motion                                 Blush’d at herself;                                 (Act I Sc- III)

In the same Act Othello also confesses that –

She love’d me for the dangers I has pass’d,

And I love’d her that she did pity them

In her choosing of Othello as her husband, she exercises her own desire, marries him without parental consent. This is a rather courageous act of will, which could have resulted in much strife. However, she handles the situation with cleverness. With her modesty and gentleness are combined firmness of will and clearness of purpose. When her father questions her about her marriage she answers forcefully, first pacifying him and then justifying her disobedience on the very grounds of patriarchal obedience and duty -

. . . My noble father,
I do perceive here a divided duty.
To you I am bound, for life and education . . .
You are the lord of my duty,
I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband,
And so much duty as my mother showed
To you preferring you before her father,
So much I challenge that I may profess
Due to the Moor my lord.

Desdemona thus by her cleverness appears obedient in her disobedience.

Desdemona is also innocent and pure, if she had grasped the worldly perception, which Emilia has, she might have prevented the disaster. She makes a blunder in engaging herself to solicit Cassio. Her innocence is such that she does not have any idea that her action might be misrepresented. A woman of the world would have taken the hint, but she does not. Iago, in spite of himself, clearly tells this –

She is so free, so kind, so blessed a disposition,

she holds it a vice in her goodness not do more than she is required

(Act 11 Sc-111)

When she is charged with infidelity she only says –

His unkindness may defeat my life,

But never taint my love.

(Act IV Sc-II)

She seemed to have lived for Othello. Apart from him she has no other interest in life. Her goodness furthermore is not simply submissive or weak but an act of will. The above quote could be said to summarize the character of Desdemona. Her own words predict her death, yet her love for her husband keeps her from seeing the truth of this statement.

Desdemona’s refusal to blame Othello for his awful treatment of her, when he suspects her of betrayal, must not be viewed as simple subservience but as a determined refusal to accept a bad opinion of the husband she has chosen. She believes that Othello is incapable of jealousy –

…….My noble Moor

Is true of mind and made of no such baseness

As jealous creatures are …..

(Act III Sc-iv)

When he is behaving shockingly towards her, she refuses to acknowledge his identity - My lord is not my lord, she says, should I know him / Were he in favour as in humour altered. She stands by her acceptance of her love for him as something sacred, with a martyr-like will-power. That is why she tells Emilia his unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love. She thus obeys her own heart rather than patriarchal rules, extending this determination through to death, so that with her last breath - when Emilia asks - who hath done this deed? She replies - Nobody, I myself. Thus by claiming this death for herself she re-affirms her selfhood and womanhood.  Symbolically she dies for her love which cannot be tainted. Her death can perhaps be seen as an act of pativrata women.

Accordingly, Desdemona is an embodiment of the perfect woman. She is loyal and trusting, innocent and pure, and her inner beauty is only matched by her outer experience. Her somewhat native personality nevertheless, leaves her exposed to the more worldly persons, those who have learned how to take advantage of others through experience. What at the outset attracts many to Desdemona ultimately proves to be her downfall, and her inexperience with the tribulations of the world leads to her demise.

Likewise, Shakuntala also stands as a personification of sweetness and strength. Bred in the ashram, amid nature, there is innate simplicity and purity in her character. She yields to impulse of love, yet with the maiden’s modesty would rather suffer in silence than speak of her passion. She is trustful, forgiving and kind to her husband, in spite of the cruelest breach of confidence.

Shakuntala is the gracious ashram hostess who receives the honored visitor Dushyanta who has just entered Saint Kanva’s ashram. She is Kanva’s adopted daughter; she is born to sage Vishwamitra and the beautiful Apsara Menaka.  Beautiful and pious Shakuntala is fascinated by the grace and charm of Dushyanta. He is also mesmerized by her beauty.-

The meanest ventures glows

On beauty that enchants:

The lotus lovelier shows

Admid dull water-plants;

The moon in added splendor

Shines for its sport of dark;

Yet more the maiden slender

Charms in her dress of bark

(Act I)

King Dushyanta as he sees Shakuntala for the first time from behind the trees, he says-

A lotus is beautiful even if it is in the midst of muck; the blemish on the moon, despite its darkness, only highlights the moon’s lustre; her simple bark attire only enhances the loveliness of this maiden.  Indeed, what will not serve as a decoration for something that is intrinsically beautiful? (Act I)

Priyamvada observing Shakuntala standing near the mango tree says that she looks like a vine by the side of the tree. King Dushyanta finds this remark appropriate –

Her arms are tender shoots; her lips

Are blossoms red and warm;

Bewitching youth begins to flower

In beauty on her form.

 He is struck by her rare charm and they secretly marry – gandharave vivaha.

This young woman who grew up in an ashram does not know what fear is. She does not know what disloyalty is, what flaw is. She has received the best possible upbringing, in an atmosphere of love, compassion, truth and fearlessness. When she arrives at the royal place, she does not care she is standing in the court of a powerful king. She is not bothered that the king’s ministers and nobles are listening to her.

In the Fifth Act, when she is openly discarded by the king as he does not remember having married her, she never for once loses her love for her husband, and does not fail to remember her duties as a married woman towards him. She leads an ascetic’s life during her separation, ever keeping the image of her beloved husband in her heart. Her patience is skillfully demarcated here. She does not lose her valor at the King’s denial. Controlling her feelings, she graciously and patiently tries her best to remind Dushyanta of the earlier incidents. She blames her fate and misfortune for her disappointment and never utters a word against her husband.

She also is full of self- respect, she tells Dushyanta that she has not come to him for his charity as she does not need any of it. What she demands is justice and what is hers by right. In fact, she herself does not need even that. She is perfectly willing to go back to the ashram from where she has come, as she knows that she will always be welcome there. She does not care for the comforts of the palace as such things do not lure her. She needs just one thing - that his child to be acknowledged as his. And she warns him of dire consequences if he ignored her.

Only once and that too when Dushyanta passes a remark about her morals, and the morals of her family that she loses her tempers and calls her husband Anarya. Accordingly, she is capable and demonstrates high sense of self-respect and courage to suffer. In the Sixth Act, the discovery of the ring paves the way for the re-union. Here she is ready to forgive her husband. In the last Act of the play when Dushyanta sees Shakuntala, and is full of praise for her devotion and purity -

In a dusty apparel, grey appearing
With a face penance, impaired;
with hair unknotted;
So unkind as I was, yet chaste her bearing
From myself, parted so long, remains devote

Contrary to expectations, the handkerchief in Othello and the ring in Shakuntalam are the two symbols that lead the two women protagonists to their terrible destiny. A gift of true, honest, faithful love by Othello to Desdemona, and Dushyanta to Shakuntala, ultimately becomes a sign of mistrust, and insecurity. Othello and Dushyanta are willing to commit the most horrible of crimes based not upon facts, but upon their faulty interpretation of reality. Both Desdemona and Shakuntala face the destiny because of the gift of love given to them by their beloved. Desdemona is doomed to die while Shakuntala is doomed for an exile. They suffer without any fault of theirs, but in their suffering also they do not compromise on the grace, elegance, honor and duty – the most sought of qualities assigned to womanhood. Bankim Chandra in his essay on Shakuntala, Miranda and Desdemona, praises Desdemona for her unswerving loyalty to her husband and calls her true pativrata. He also says that while Shakuntala was a garden, Desdemona in the depth and complexity of her characterization, was an ocean.

Nonetheless the characters also point out to the fact that purity of a woman has always been a highly prized virtue, both in Eastern and Western cultures. Both women protagonists belong to different country, age, religion and culture. They are epitome of beauty, virtue, innocence, purity, patience, honesty and trust that is quite typical of the characteristic that are traditionally given to women in society. Consequently, study of both the characters reveals that there are more similarities than differences between their attitudes towards life and love and duty. Love, honor, duty may have different meaning in both cultures but they have corresponding aspirations.

I would like to end my paper by a statement by Barbara Welter in "The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860" (1966) that again pauses another question and may promote a different type of comparison and research -

Real women often felt they did not live up to the ideal of True Womanhood…… change and continuity, the True Woman evolved into the New Woman—a transformation as startling in its way…….. she had the best of both worlds—power and virtue—and that a stable order of society depended upon her maintaining her traditional place in it. To that end she was identified with everything that was beautiful and holy…

 

Reference –

1.     http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_8/lectures_and_discourses/women_of_india.htm

2.      Nancy.F. Cott, The Bonds of Womanhood (New Haven, Conn., 1977)

3.      http://shakespeare.mit.edu/othello/full.html

4.      The Shakuntala Epoch in European romanticism and Indian Classicism

(Synthesis, I, 1974, Editura Academiei Române, Bucureşti, pp.187-192)

5.      Ryder, Arthur W. (Arthur William), 1877-1938, trans.: Translations of Shakuntala, and Other Works.

Published in - Approaching Shakespeare through comparative  literature , Saurashtra University Publication, ISBN: 978-93-5291-723-5, First Edition-2017.