The Role of Emilia

While reading “Othello” many characters are important and do memorable things. Iago's constant slander and diabolical persuasion grabs the readers attention. Othello's earnestness and jealousy give consternation to anyone seeing his actions. Cassio's honesty and naivety. Desdemona's purity and tragic end. I read the play in terms of these characters, their interactions and story. Through them I learned about the principles of honesty and forthrightness. I learned of how easily purity can be polluted. I saw how easily misunderstanding leads to jealousy and tragedy. However reading the play again through the lens of feminism I saw something else. I noticed a character who seemed so peripheral, Emilia. She seemed to just be an extension of Iago, as his wife and unwilling accessory to his perfidy. Through Emilia's words and actions Shakespeare takes women from their traditional roles and shows them to be people; able to be whomever they choose to be.

Emilia is introduced in Act II Scene i wherein she is with her husband and Desdemona and greeted by Cassio: “Welcome, mistress. / Let it not gall your patience, good Iago, / That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding /That gives me this bold show of courtesy” (II.i.98–101). Iago responds cruelly insulting how much his wife talks, while Emilia defends herself, “You have little cause to say so” (II.i.110). They continue in this vein for a few more lines, Iago picking out terrible things to say and Emilia not eloquently defending herself, almost ignoring him. As this is the first encounter with Emilia it becomes almost normal to relegate her character to the background of concern. However when closely read this small passage gives important information about the character. We know that she has been married to Iago for some time, and apparently receives this type of mocking and condemnation from her husband frequently. Yet in her responses and actions we do not see anything that bears resemblance to a victim, she is strong enough to endure these attentions.

After Cassio's drunken brawl he seeks to be forgiven by Othello and at Iago's counsel he calls on Desdemona to hear his plea. He meets Emilia and asks: “Yet, I beseech you, / If you think fit, or that it may be done, / Give me advantage of some brief discourse / With Desdemona alone” (III.i.49–52). She allows him with: “Pray you, come in; / I will bestow you where you shall have time / To speak your bosom freely” (III.i.52–54). Emilia again seems of little importance in these lines. Cassio is merely asking her to take him to Desdemona and let him make a request of her. However because of this we learn that Emilia must be the companion of Desdemona, if not a friend. She is not a servant but a lady like Desdemona. She has to power to grant or deny this request, she does not have to leave if she does not desire to. Once again to a close reader information is given. Emilia has some autonomy in this social group, Iago may be outranked by Othello, but Emilia is not necessarily outranked by Desdemona, they are both ladies and wives, equal companions.

As the story progresses, Emilia gets more lines, and more powerful lines. Othello begins to exhibit his jealously and while Desdemona and Emilia discuss this Emilia says, “'Tis not a year or two shows us a man: / They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; / They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, / They belch us. . .” (III.iv.97–100). We already know that Emilia and her husband do not live blissfully and here Emilia shows the wisdom she has gained from their interactions. She is not young or naive and does not see the world full of love or hope. She knows that marriage makes the man the ruler and gives him the power. These lines speak directly to the reader teaching that a unequal relationship leads to misery. Over time, no matter how good the more powerful partner, one will consume the other.

Othello then confronts Emilia about Desdemona hoping to find more proof of infidelity in his wife. Emilia defends Desdemona with: “I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest, / Lay down my soul at stake: if you think other, / Remove your thought; it doth abuse your bosom. / If any wretch have put this in your head, / Let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse! / For, if she be not honest, chaste, and true, / There's no man happy; the purest of their wives / Is foul as slander” (IV.ii.12–19). This is among Emilia's longest passages. She knows her companion Desdemona well and knows there is not sin in her conduct. She is willing to stake her soul on this. She was willing to steal from Desdemona, but knows that accusations of infidelity will ruin the honor and life of Desdemona and blacken the name of all women and so defends her completely. Emilia's character and importance is again further illuminated by these lines. She is a woman who supported her husbands desires, but defends her fellow women from their husbands. Complex and able to make decisions, just like the men in this play.

The final lines I saw in new understanding are during Emilia's and Desdemona's conversation about infidelity and whether their honor has a price. Emilia's revelation: “In troth, I think I should; and undo't when / I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a /joint-ring, nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, / petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition; but for / the whole world,--why, who would not make her / husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? / I should venture purgatory for't” (IV.iii.70–76). Emilia would not cheat for anything less then the world, but for the world she would gladly do so. This shows the honesty and wisdom of her character. For the world most anyone would do anything, and she is honest enough to own it, and wise enough to see the advantages of doing so.

Emilia's character is complex and subtle. She does not seem to be supremely important. However her voice, words, and actions show a perspective on women that seems current and modern. Emilia is not weaker or less intelligent then any of the men in this play. She often shows wisdom beyond that of the men. By paying close attention to Emilia a reader will see women as unique and complete individuals, not just extensions of their husbands.