Othello is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. Emilia plays quite a role in the story. Even though throughout the tragedy Emilia veers from being a loyal servant to Desdemona, her actions were redeemed when she revealed the truth to Othello. Emilia was right to betray her husband for her lady because her husband, Iago, was deceiving and manipulating many characters. Iago was responsible for destroying Many relationships, using manipulation in this tragedy. For example, “Call up her father,Rouse him. Make after him, poison his delight, Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,Plague him with flies. Though that his joy be joy,Yet throw such changes of vexation on 't As it may …show more content…
In the beginning she proves to serve her lady, Desdemona, but as the play movies on she does a small service her husband, Iago, when she gives him the handkerchief. When compared to the movie, Emelia is more mischievous and had intentionally stolen Desdemona's handkerchief to give Iago, verses in the book where she didn't have the intention of helping Iago with his plan to get rid of Othello and ruin his relationship with Desdemona. Although in the end of the play and of the movie, she proves to be loyal and serves Desdemona by revealing the truth about the handkerchief to Othello, which unfolds Iago's true intentions. To prove, "O thou dull [stupid] Moor! that handkerchief thou speak'st of I found by fortune [chance] and did give my husband" (Emilia 5.2.225-226). She continues, "For often, with a solemn earnestness, More than indeed belong'd to such a trifle, He begg'd of me to steal it" (Emilia …show more content…
A particular theme throughout the story is the search for truth. During this last part of the book and the movie, Emilia ends this search for truth. All becomes clear to Othello and realizes that the true enemy, or the one that's been conspiring against him the whole time was Iago. After this, Othello demands Iago to answer why he's been torturing him, and why he made him turn on his beautiful Desdemona. Iago replies, "Demand me nothing. What you know, you know, From this time forth, I will never speak word" (Iago 5.2.300-301). So even in the end Iago still refuses to give Othello the truth. Although Emilia does redeem herself in the end, during the tragedy she betrays many. In the movie she intentionally betrays Desdemona by stealing her handkerchief. But in the original play she is oblivious to Iago's plan and stumbles upon it. To prove, "What handkerchief?
Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona, That which so often you did bid me steal."(Emilia 3.3.350-355). In the movie by intentionally stealing she also betrayed Othello. In the end of the play she betrays Iago by telling Othello the truth. The difference is this time, by betraying Iago, she is doing the honest and just
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.
As Desdemona constantly denies his accusations, Othello becomes very angry. He asks for her forgiveness (jokingly) and says “I took you for that cunning whore of Venice” (Act IV, scene ii, line 93). Desdemona is left mad by Othello’s ridicule and listens to Emilia’s contrasting attitude.
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
Emilia is not just in the play to be a simply friend. She is there to tell everyone the horrible acts that have happened. Once, Emilia realizes her mistress has died she starts asking questions which helps her put two and two together. Emilia finds out that Othello thinks Desdemona cheated on her something that Desdemona would never do. Emilia then asks Othello, why? The main reason is the handkerchief. Othello gave Desdemona handkerchief that represents their love and its precious. Because Othello finds out Cassio had it he thinks an affair was going on. Then is when, Emilia reveals that she gave the handkerchief to Iago because she found it. Quickly after that it’s revealed that Iago (her husband) is doing evil acts. Emilia “...That handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune and did give my husband. For often, with a solemn earnestness—More than indeed belonged to such a trifle—He begged of me to steal it.” With that said, Emilia was much more than a
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
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.
Is Othello responsible for Desdemona’s death? Or is it Iago who planned to get revenge against the Moor? There are many people in the play who are responsible for Desdemona’s death. However, one of the individuals in the play unwittingly helps contribute to her death by being naive. Emilia, who is Desdemona’s loyal friend, fails to convince Othello that Desdemona is faithful.
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.
At the Because of this handkerchief, Othello decides he need to kill Desdemona, even though she tells him of her innocence until she dies. After she died, it was the handkerchief that allows Othello to see her innocence. Once Emilia tells Othello that she gave the handkerchief to Iago, Othello realizes his mistake. This handkerchief, that convinced Othello of her infidelity in Act IV Scene 1, is what eventually gets Emilia killed, Othello dead, and Iago captured.
...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).
While they have arduous intentions, none of them ever defend themselves. Desdemona is a passive victim who lets Othello abuse her, Emilia allows herself to be abused by Iago, and Bianca lets Cassio take advantage of her. Desdemona demonstrates weakness in her love for Othello and by taking his abuse. At the beginning of the play, Desdemona feels she must accompany Othello to Cyprus in war.
Emilia’s role in the tragedy seems very small at first. Iago mentions suspicions of unfaithfulness very early on (I, iii) but it is not these suspicions that Emilia contributes to her death and the death of others. Rather, it is the very simple action of...