Drama Analysis: A metamorphosis within Emilia
It is easy to overlook a character like Emilia in Othello. Although she may not speak as much as the other characters, her role in the tragedy is enormous. She is linked to many unquestionably influential characters. She is hired by Othello to be Desdemona's housemaid as well as Iago's wife. What makes her role so unique is that she is the only character who is aware of Iago's manipulation. Having a strong relationship with Desdemona and being married to the evil Iago who is out to harm her and Othello, presses her the difficult inquiry of where her loyalty dwells. Emilia starts off as an evil character who sides with her husband. Although she is quietly loyal, she holds the strength to defy and deceive. Towards the end of the play, Emilia goes through a metamorphosis. She transforms from an obedient loyal wife into a self-righteous character whose loyalty shifts to her good friend, Desdemona.
In Othello, there is a
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After realizing it is lost, Desdemona asks Emilia where she lost it. Emilia replies with "I know not, madam" (3.4.18). Not only does her lie suggest betrayal towards Desdemona, it could also suggest that Emilia and Desdemona may not have as good of a friendship as we had been led to believe.
Eventually, we do see a shift in Emilia's character and her relationship with Desdemona. In a conversation between the two about infidelity Desdemona claims that she would "[not do such a deed] by this heavenly light!" Where Emilia responds with "Nor I neither by this heavenly light; I might do 't as well i' the dark" (4.3.65-68). Her witty response is suggesting that maybe her loyalty to Iago is not what it once was. Sharing this moment of a vulnerable change with Desdemona reveals that perhaps they are developing a close friendship. If this is the case, her loyalty to Iago is
Many may say Emilia was not aware of how she is supposed to treat by her husband conversely, a comment made by her states otherwise. “Tis proper I obey him, but not now’ (Shakespeare V.ii.195). Towards the end of the story she explains to Othello how her husband asked her to steal the handkerchief from Desdemona She clearly states she know it is the right to obey her husband, but she was not going to support him in his wrong. She is one of the few in this time period to disobey their husband. Emilia is not the type of wife to support him in his wrong-doing. She stands up to her husband.
For a long time, I have felt that Emilia could not possibly have been unaware
In Act IV, scene ii and iii, Emilia shows her contemporary views about relationships to the audience and talks to Desdemona while doing so. She believes that many men and women are commonly guilty of cheating and betrayal of their partner. At this point, Othello’s worries of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness have wholly increased, and he begins to accuse her of cheating on him. Desdemona then hopes Othello sees to her honesty and truthfulness of the matter. “I hope my noble lord esteems me honest” (Act IV, scene II line 67). Othello counters her begging by beginning his sarcasm and request for her to never have been born. He says, “O, ay. As summer flies are in the shambles,that quicken even with blowing. O Thou weed, Who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne’er been born!”(Act IV scene II lines 68-70)
At the beginning of the action, the two ladies relationship furthers the plot by creating a circumstance in which Desdemona’s handkerchief goes missing. Desdemona’s most valued token of Othello’s love is a supposedly magic handkerchief that belonged to his mother and Desdemona keeps it with her at all times. When she drops it Emilia swipes it to try to please her husband, Iago. By stealing the handkerchief Emilia unwittingly sets in motion Iago’s scheme that will eventually lead to the death of herself, Othello, and her beloved Desdemona. Without this handkerchief Iago’s scheme would never work because it is the only piece of substantial proof of Desdemona's infidelity can use to convince Othello. Therefore, without Desdemona and Emilia's close friendship there would be no plot. Toward the end of the play, Emilia and Desdemona’s relationship becomes crucial to the plot again. After Othello kills Desdemona Emilia is the one who puts together the facts and unearths Iago’s scheme, risking her own life to do so. After witnessing Desdemona’s death Emilia says, “O thou dull Moor, that handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune, and did give my husband- for often, with a solemn earnestness he begged of me to steal ‘t”(5.2.267-272). At the threat of her own death she revealed Iago’s treachery and concluded the plot by explaining how Iago’s scheming led to the death of four different people. Without Emilia’s proximity to Desdemona she would never have been able to take the handkerchief and her knowledge of Iago and Desdemona’s natures made her the only character able to uncover Iago’s scheme. Certainly, Desdemona’s close relationship and differing characters were essential to the plot of the
She is the only one who is involved but not counted in Iago's scheme. Desdemona shall die, Cassio shall die, but Iago does not plan anything to prevent Emilia from speaking, because he does not anticipate Emilia will abandon her husband for Desdemona. Yet Emilia speaks, and speaks an extremely defenseless thus courageous speech. When Othello tries to stab Iago, he is disarmed twice, once even after everybody has realized what a villain Iago is (Othello 5.2 242&292). But nobody disarms Iago either when he threatens Emilia with his sword or when he stabs Emilia (Othello 4.2 228&242). She is armless but not powerless. The truth she speaks brings justice in, wins the audience's respect, and shows the potential power of a female
She is a caregiver. Emilia becomes close to young Desdemona. It could be implied that Emilia is a older than Desdemona, and not just because she is stated as “young Des”, but also because she is a bit naive. This is revealed when Emilia and Desdemona talking about women cheating on their husbands. Desdemona says, “I do not think there is any such woman.” With this she is trying to say that she doesn’t think any women would be capable or actually cheats on their husband. Emilia, then explains that many women do it and it's not their fault it’s their husbands. Emilia: “Yes, a dozen; and as many to th’ vantage as would store the world they play’d for. But I do think it is their husbands’ faults, If wives do fall.” In essence, Emilia is teaching young, naive Desdemona things she wouldn’t know if she didn’t have her. If she didn’t have a caregiver, and most importantly an important
Emilia is a realistic woman. She does not always do what is right, but does things to make life easier for herself. When Emilia steals Desdemona’s handkerchief she says,
Emilia, while lying next to her best friend on her deathbed, began to suppress her passive nature and attempts persecute the murderer. Nonetheless, the only woman who stood up for herself got killed in the end by her own husband. Othello and Iago’s wives were thought to be disloyal to their husband, while only one of them was correct in this accusation, Desdemona and Emilia were both murdered by the people they pledged their allegiance to. But, Emilia was the only woman who denounced the authority men had over women and compares the qualities of both men and women. She is fully aware of the gender
Emilia. Othello, Desdemona and Iago are the main characters. Othello focuses on the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. Iago, Emilia and Roderigo play a big role in the relationship. It is a tale of love and deceit.
Desdemona’s death is caused because Emilia is naive and has poor judgment of Iago. Iago believes that Emilia is promiscuous this sparks his jealousy toward Othello. Because he suspects that Othello and Emilia have been together intimately. He then seeks revenge on the Moor in the process he uses his own wife as an accomplice. This leads to, the case of the missing handkerchief! Emilia is completely naive and without any suspicion she never suspects that Iago envies the Moor and will use the handkerchief to deceive him. When Emilia says:
...her murdered mistress, resuscitates morality in this play. Emilia refutes the untrue notions which Othello says motivated him to kill; she counters Iago’s lies (“She give it Cassio? No, alas, I found it, / And I did give’t my husband.”) and lays the guilt for Desdemona’s murder on his shoulders. And she sacrifices her very life for the truth; she dies a martyr, stabbed by evil Iago. Othello also is a martyr in a sense, paying in full for the crime that he committed.
Iago controls Emilia and treats her as less when she does not act as a submissive wife. Therefore, Emilia follows to keep Iago satisfy. Further, Iago tells Emilia to steal the handkerchief; which she follows without knowing his intentions, to then be insulted by Iago calling her a “foolish wife” (3.3.313), and demanding her, “Go, leave me” (3.3.330). Apparently, Iago makes Emilia lesser, and she accepts her role as a submissive wife. Moreover, although Othello proclaims loving Desdemona, he perceives her as inferior as a result of jealousy. As in Act 5, Scene 2 where Othello says to Desdemona, “Down, strumpet!” (89), suggesting that he puts her in an inferior position to kill her reflecting his true perception of Desdemona. And likewise Emilia, Desdemona accepts the role of an obedient wife by using her last breath to take the fault off Othello
First, in order to defend Desdemona's chastity, Emilia challenges the societal norm of silence. Recall the incident when Othello calls Desdemona a "whore" for cheating. In response, Emilia protests loudly against Othello and attempts to disprove his belief that Desdemona is not chaste: "A halter pardon him [Othello]! And hell gnaw his bones! / Why should he call her [Desdemona] whore? (4.2. 143,144). Instead of Emilia conforming to the attribute of Renaissance women as silent, she condemns Othello for his false accusations against her mistress, Desdemona. Later in the play, after finding Desdemona killed, Emilia challenges silence again: "As ignorant as dirt! Thou hast done a deed-... / The Moor hath killed my mistress!" (5.2. 171,174). Although Othello tells Emilia that it would be "best" for her to remain silent, she ignores his request and ridicules him for killing "sweet" Desdemona (5.2. 169).
Throughout the play, the sweet and old-fashioned Desdemona shows to be a satisfying wife and a great friend, and she also denotes unquestionable ignorance to her surroundings. On the other hand, the open minded and slightly cynical Emilia supplies a huge contrast to her mistresses’ persona; a feminist way ahead of her time. Despite coming from different social backgrounds and having different personalities, both women find the same faith by dying at the hands of their own husbands. But still, even when they do share a handful of similarities, it is their perception of life that makes them react in different ways. However, Desdemona is the one that is least aware of what is happening due to her undoubtedly naiveness.
While she does have good intentions through out parts of the play and is a kind hearted woman, she never defends herself to her diabolical husband. Iago constantly makes hateful and degrading insults towards Emilia. "Come on, come on. You are pictures out of door, bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds." (Act 2 scene 1 line 119) Not once does she ever defend herself. In fact, she is nothing but eager to please her husband to win his affection. "I nothing but to please his fantasy" (Act 3 scene 3 Line 343) She betrays her friendship with by stealing her handkerchief and gives it to Iago hoping to satisfy him. This utterly fails leaving Emilia with the desire to continue to try to please him. "Who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for 't" (Act 4, Scene 3, line 85) She is a representation of an abused woman who does not have enough self respect to defend herself. It is evident she makes herself a slave to Iago by consistently trying to make him happy despite his malevolent behaviour. Emilias lack of self confidence and passiveness proves that the women in Othello are powerless and