Emilia and Desdemona were best friends and were always seen together. Dead or alive, Emilia was always alongside Desdemona. Emilia laid down Othello and Desdemona's wedding sheets. "I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed (Shakespeare 4.3.22). Emilia would do anything and everything to make Desdemona happy. Emilia placed the wedding sheets on the bed for Desdemona to try and make Othello happier and remember their wonderful wedding night . Othello was very angry with Desdemona because she lost his handkerchief whom he received from his mom. When in reality Desdemona dropped it and Iago stole it from Emilia and then Iago placed hankerchief in Cassio's bedroom. Othello was so angry about the lost hankerchief that he devised a plan
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
Through his suggestion to Cassio, Iago can now be certain that Cassio will entreat Desdemona to petition for him with Othello. Cassio does implore Desdemona and she responds, “Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do all my abilities in thy behalf” (Act III Scene III). Iago manages to obtain the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona that had strawberry patterns on it form Bianca. He then tells Othello to ask for the handkerchief and if she doesn’t produce it, than she must be cheating on him. Iago also manipulates the undeserving devotion of Emilia. We learn at the end of the play that Iago “begg’d of me to steal it” of Emilia. Like Desdemona’s good nature, Iago exploits his own wife for his malicious revenge. The handkerchief was the final straw for
Though her world was fall apart with Iago creating false images of an affair between her and Cassio to Othello, Desdemona strangely remains kind, innocent, and willing to grant grace. When Cassio approaches her for help, she quickly agrees to help her old friend. While she discusses relationships with Emilia, she rejects all thoughts of infidelity. She had every reason to fight Othello when Othello carries out her murder, yet she resist only a little, She responses, “The Lord have mercy on me…[and] mercy on you too” to Othello’s “Thou diest” (Othello 5.2.50; 71-74). When she is briefly revived and quested by Emilia as to who her murderer is, Desdemona only replies, “I myself” (Othello 5.2.152).
Othello and Desdemona's Love In Act 1 Scene 3. The scene begins with the Duke and senators sitting around a table in the dukes chamber, the conversation is based around what is going on. in Cyprus the conversation is between the Duke, a Sailor, an Officer, a messenger and senators of the United States. Lots of different people express their different thoughts but in the end the main message is that soon Cyprus will be under attack by the Turks.
...3-96. The argument between Desdemona and Othello his tone becomes violent. Othello continues his irrational obsession with the handkerchief where Desdemona unintentionally infuriates Othello’s anger and jealousy. Shakespeare's use of repetition of "the handkerchief” creates great effect in the final scene because of the power of proof the handkerchief beholds. Othello found it so hard to believe and forgive his wife Desdemona, after knowing she had also lied to her own father about marriage neither Barbatio or Othello accepted the fact they had been betrayed . Like Martha Widmayer mentions “ Infidelity is no “small vice” to Othello and Brabantio, each of ho willingly pays the “great price” of the loss of his world, Desdemona, rather than tolerate betrayal.”
Iago plants the handkerchief on Cassio. Convinced of Desdemona’s infidelity, Othello smothers his beloved wife in their marriage bed. Emilia then proves Iago’s guilt and Desdemona’s innocence to Othello. Othello stabs Iago, who is under arrest, but fails to kill him and commits suicide.
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:
Continuing Act three, Scene three, Othello feels the beginning of a headache. Desdemona offers Othello a handkerchief to ease the pain upon Othello’s forehead. The handkerchief is a gift from Othello to Desdemona as a symbol of the love shared by Othello and Desdemona. In Othello’s pain the handkerchief falls from Othello’s hand and Emilia steals the handkerchief. Iago uses the characters of the play as pawns, including wife Emilia. Jealousy is the fuel and the handkerchief is the spark. With the handkerchief in Iago’s possession, Iago can continue to spin the web of lies and deceit. Iago plans to leave the handkerchief in Cassio’s lodgings to further support the suspicion of Desdemona’s infidelity.
...ng Desdemona has been unfaithful, ‘Trifles light as air Are to the jealous confirmations strong As proofs of holy writ’. However, his manipulation can also be seen with Emilia, in particular her finding of the handkerchief, ‘my wayward husband hath a hundred times Woo’d me to steal it’. The fact that Emilia gives Iago the handkerchief, despite her initial intention which is to have it copied and to return the original to Desdemona and despite his crude and derogatory remark, ‘it is a common thing’, reveals her desperation to please Iago and to satisfy his need for instant gratification. This contrasts with her outspoken, headstrong nature when Iago is not present and shows that women of this time period were dominated by men in all ways, including the suppression of their natural personalities.
Centuries ago in Elizabethan England there were many traditions about marriage and the treatment of women. One strong tradition of these times was the practice of marriage between races. Interracial marriages were considered extremely taboo. (High Beam). In this era marriages were arranged by the parents with strong help from the local church. The individuals had little choice as to who they would marry. (Elizabethan England Life). Yet another example of these traditions was the respectable treatment of women. While the husband was in charge of his wife, as was the father, the husband were expected to treat the women right (Elizbethi). In spurning all of these traditions, Shakespeare demonstrates a view of marriage far different from that of Elizabethan England, in doing this he is trying to plant new ideas in the people who read or view the play.
In Othello Iago uses Desdemona's misplaced handkerchief as a catalyst for Othello's mistrust of her. Iago states,”I know not that; but such a handkerchief—/ I am sure it was your wife’s—did I to-day/ See Cassio wipe his beard with.”(III.iii.437-439) Iago provokes Othello by claiming that his wife gave Cassio her handkerchief as a token of her love. This is an example of dramatic irony because as an audience we know that the handkerchief came to be in Cassio's possession because Iago anonymously gave it to him. This fuels the flames of Othello's anger
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).
Desdemona and Emilia are two of the main characters in William Shakespeare’s Othello. While one of them is the overly virtuous wife of the play’s protagonist and tragic hero, the other one is wife to one of the most clever and maquiavelic everlasting villains.
The handkerchief is a representation of different values to each character. Desdemona keeps it as a symbol of Othello’s love for her, as it was the first present she received from him. Because of Iago and his manipulation, Othello sees the it as Desdemona’s purity and devotion to him. Quickly, the symbol of a bond between husband and wife is taken by Iago and made into evidence of infidelity. Othello proclaims to Desdemona that a female prophet made the handkerchief using silk and “was dyed in mummy which the skillful conserved of maidens' hearts” (III.iv.65-66),
Othello could have prevented the horrific events that led to the death of Desdemona if he were not absorbed in his own allusions of marital deception. Iago uses the handkerchief as evidence for sealing Othello’s nightmare. Othello is turned from Christian to Turk and refuses to acknowledge his wife’s promise of love. He attacks Desdemona who is innocent in the crime of treason. In the first act we learn Desdemona has eloped with Othello. During the early Renaissance period, it was illegal for any woman to marry a man without her parents’ consent. The shock from this betrayal killed Brabanzio, her father. Desdemona’s boldness in her choice was not a whim of lust but a strong force of passion. The audience hears in the first scene Brabanzio voice his disgust for Iago. Brabanzio: “Thou art a villain” Iago: You are a senator” (1.1.2103) Brabanzio is the only person who recognizes Iago’s treacherous