Notably, Othello is a drama about love, jealousy, and treachery. It depicts the narrative of a Moor, Othello, who marries a white woman named Desdemona, whom he murders because he is jealous. Nonetheless, to distinguish the genuine problematic marriage, it is essential to look at Iago and Emilia, a terrible ending similar to Desdemona and Othello (Rodrigues 47). Emilia is Iago’s worldly wife; she is a type of lady-in-waiting or companion to Desdemona. Iago convinces Emilia to give him Desdemona’s handkerchief, which he plants in Cassio’s quarters to persuade Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful. Emilia’s cooperation in stealing the handkerchief leads to Othello accepting Iago’s falsehoods. Emilia is deeply committed to Desdemona but also devoted to Iago. Thus, the readers may experience confusion about whether Emilia can be partly blamed for the tragic death of Desdemona. The essential question is whether Emilia is as naive as she appears in the play. Therefore, the essay demonstrates justifications for the idea that Emilia is not innocent as she seems regarding Iago’s schemes.
Emilia exhibits ambivalence or opposing viewpoints; nevertheless, she tends to accept what her spouse says. Amri and Maylani emphasize that Emilia displays submission and vulnerability with her husband; on the other hand, the maid frequently criticizes and shares her thoughts opposing men’s dominance (16). As the character with the highest social rank among the others, Desdemona can speak more than Emilia. Iago’s demeanor, which claims that women are constantly placed below respect for males, is controversial. It is evident when Emilia gets along with Desdemona because she demonstrates her support of women’s alleged oppression at the hands of males. Rodrigues states that unlike other women of her day, Emilia is not entirely submissive to her husband (48). Her thoughts become increasingly uneasy, and while she advises Desdemona, it is difficult to tell if she is speaking about her maiden’s position or her marital problems. Despite her passionate loyalty to her mistress, Desdemona, Emilia accidentally causes her to become entangled in Iago’s trap; her efforts to extricate her are too late. When Emilia hands Iago the famed handkerchief, she immediately suspects his motivation for requesting it.
Moreover, Emilia has the power to reverse all of Iago’s machinations and deceit. Even though she told Othello the truth before he committed murder, he decided not to believe her (Rodrigues 50). Finally, having revealed the truth about all that had been muddled by her husband’s whispers, Iago’s own intentions collapse since he does not recognize the depth of his wife’s character. Even though she had every reason to mistrust him, she chose not to until there was no other option (Rodrigues 50). Unfortunately, Emilia does not recognize her husband as a criminal until it is too late. When she discovers that Othello has murdered her innocent mistress, Emilia cries out, “O, the more angel she, / And you the blacker devil!” (Othello 5.2.129–30). Nevertheless, by the conclusion of the play, darkness has come to relate to character depravity, not to Othello, but to Iago; he is now viewed as totally demonic.
Furthermore, Emilia elevates women to the same level as men. She says, “Let husbands know / Their wives have sense like them” (Othello 4.3.70-71) and concludes with a direct accusation against their husbands: if a wife sins, it is because she learned it from her husband. Emilia is aware of her husband’s plotting nature at all times, but she does not fully realize the scope of Iago’s vicious plans. Finally, Emilia has the information that will unravel Iago’s lies and is bold enough to disclose the truth, even though it means breaking her obedience: “Tis proper I obey him, but not now” (Othello 5.2.208). In Act IV, Scene II, Emilia reveals Iago’s whole plot by alleging that some “wretch,” some “villainous knave,” has “devised this slander” against Desdemona (Othello 4.2.153-165). She eventually emerges as the story’s voice of truth, claiming her voice and adopting a pivotal part in the play’s conclusion. She eventually meets the same destiny as Desdemona, as her rebellion is completed with the ultimate sacrifice, namely death.
Emilia assisted Iago in convincing Othello of Desdemona’s guilt, and while she cannot reverse Desdemona’s murder, she may at least bear testimony to the reality of what transpired. Emilia dies with the hope that her final bravery will atone for her prior passivity and obedience. Significantly, when her life is coming to an end, and her husband wields the deadly knife, she does not hold him accountable; instead, she blames herself for prompting him to execute such a heinous act. Therefore, Emilia is not innocent since when she discovers that Othello has murdered Desdemona, she only decides to go against her spouse and reveal her knowledge. Emilia has been enslaved to male dominance; not even in her last breath can she see beyond the blinders that patriarchy has placed in front of her eyes.
Works Cited
Amri, Siti Hardiyanti, and Isna Maylani. “Paradoxality of Women Positions in Othello by Shakespeare.” JELITA, vol. 1, no. 2, 2020, pp. 12-20. Web.
Rodrigues, Karen Danielle Lima. “Emilia’s Voice: Shakespeare’s Take on Feminism in Othello.” Revista Fronteira Digital, vol.7, 2018. Web.
Shakespeare, William. (2015). Othello. In Sterling Publishing (Ed.), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (pp. 818-857). Barnes & Noble, Inc.