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Throughout literary history women have played two very different, yet distinct roles. There is the role of the strong, determined woman who faces adversity with a confident approach. There is also the submissive woman who is at the mercy of the dominant males in environment. Desdemona, of the Shakespearean play Othello, is a very complex character who takes on both roles. Desdemona’s actions and demeanor change throughout the play, depicting a self-effacing, loyal wife, while also showing a gallant, independent woman. Her strong side is subtle and can be easily overlooked and mistaken for quiet submissiveness, though it is this subtle strength that makes Desdemona such a powerful character. Desdemona is not unlike many women today; she is torn between her devotion to her father and her faithfulness to her husband. She shows her indecision in one of her first speeches with her father, My noble father/ I do perceive here a divided duty./ To you I am bound for life and education;/ My life and education both do learn me/How to respect you. You are the lord of 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 ma