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K. Horney (1950)
Neurosis And Human Growth
R. Dickes (1970)
Desdemona: an innocent victim?Am. Imago, 27
K. Horney (1945)
Our inner conflicts
A. C. Bradley (1964)
Shakespearean Tragedy
S. Reid (1970)
Desdemona's guiltAm. Imago, 27
W. Shakespeare, H. Hart
The tragedy of Othello
Other Voices "HIS SCORN I APPROVE": THE SELF-EFFACING DESDEMONA Bernard I. Paris Desdemona is a controversial character whose behavior has been diffi- cult to understand. Is she little less than a saint, or a rebellious daughter who is rightly punished for her deception of her father? A Christ-like martyr, or a guilt-ridden woman who participates in her own victimization? Many critics have been struck by the disparity between her assertive behavior early in the play and her inability to defend herself later. This is the central puzzle of Desdemona's character, but it is by no means the only one. With the possible exception of Cleopatra, Desdemona is Shakespeare's most complex psychological portrait of a woman. Shakespeare's glorification of her as "the divine Desdemona" tends to discourage an examination of her motives; but when we look at her closely, we find that her actions are as extreme as those of lago and Othello and that her character, as well as theirs, contributes to the tragedy. She can be best understood, I think, through Karen Horney's description of the self-effacing person. As the play opens, Desdemona has just behaved in a way that is quite outrageous from the point of view
The American Journal of Psychoanalysis – Springer Journals
Published: Dec 1, 1984
Keywords: Clinical Psychology; Psychotherapy; Psychoanalysis
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