Social order

• ‘Knave of common hire’


  Social order has been threatened by the elopement as Desdemona has been taken away from her father without his permission
• ‘Gross revolt’


  how Brabantio views Desdemona’s elopement to the ‘wheeling stranger’. He has has his authority subverted
• Marriage breaking natural order

  Desdemona and Othello's marriage is scandalous is because Desdemona has willingly chosen to marry a man her father did not select for her. Desdemona unfailingly performs the submissive, dutiful role expected of women
• ‘Fear to look on’

  Desdemona brings shame upon her family due to her relationship with Othello. She also did not ask her father for permission to marry. Due to the context, Desdemona has been raised to believe that bringing shame upon her family is one of the worst things that she could have done as it takes away from her chaste image, expected of woman at the time. This would evoke a lot of fear. For most women in wealthy families, shame would be the worst possible outcome.