'Typically, texts about husbands and wives present marriage from a male point of view.' In light of this view, discuss how Shakespeare presents the relationship between Othello and Desdemona in 'Othello'.

This exam question is asking you to take a general statement and apply it to the text you have studied. It's also an opportunity to show your close reading skills and pick out interesting linguistic and stylistic details from the play. You don't have to agree with the statement or just find evidence to prove it. That would make for a predictable answer that isn't very exciting to read! Focus on how Shakespeare plays with different voices and points of view, the ambiguity present in the text and any tensions you have observed. You might want to argue that there are lots of moments in the play where marriage is approached from a feminine (or feminist!) standpoint, or you might even want to question the statement itself! Often the most interesting essays discuss the terms that they begin with, and conclude that these terms are flawed or can be expanded in some way. You should include quotations from the text in your answer. For example, you could explore animalistic imagery that conjures up traditional masculinity ('an old black ram is tupping your white ewe') or the divine innocence implied by Desdemona's speech ('No, by this heavenly light!') You could also consider how much each character speaks. Whose voices are privileged - male or female?