FORSTER ENGLISH II

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Emilia: The Wise One

March 22, 2016 4:20 pm / Leave a comment

By: Crafton Deal

Emilia is a strong willed, independent character that relates a really unique message in the story of Othello. She is a quintessential role for a powerful female character in Othello. Emilia’s maturness and wiseness provides a confidence for Desdemona throughout her struggles in the play, pertaining to the treatment of wives from their husbands.

We are first introduced to her in Act II, and our first impression is quite uncomfortable. It is an awkward and rude scene between her, Cassio, and Iago. When Cassio greets Emilia by kissing her hand, Iago makes a snarky remark. He stated, “Sir, would she give you so much of her lips/ As of her tongue she oft bestows on me/ You’d have enough” (II.i.100-102). As readers, we saw this as Iago insinuating that all Emilia does is yell at him. It was a complete put-down, and it made me feel sympathetic towards Emilia. Instead of taking it, she retaliates by saying “You have little cause to say so/ […] You shall not write my praise” (II.i.107,115). She is standing up for herself by saying that her husband has no reason to put her down, and calls him out by saying he has nothing good to say about her. It is admirable of Emilia’s character to be able to speak up for herself, especially as a woman in this time period. We as readers also see this scene as an indication of a strained relationship between her and her husband. Throughout the story, we see her and Iago’s tense relationship in several scenes. Her feeling towards Iago is negative (this is shown in the willow scene). Emilia feels very close to Desdemona, despite her action of keeping the handkerchief from her. Emilia treats Desdemona almost as a younger sister.  This sisterhood feeling towards Desdemona is exemplified when Othello asks Emilia about an affair between Desdemona and Cassio. In Act IV scene ii, Emilia stands up for Desdemona by telling Othello that Desdemona is not having an affair with Cassio.

The best and most famous of Emilia’s scenes would be the willow scene. In Act IV scene iii, Emilia and Desdemona are having a conversation in the bed chamber of Othello and Desdemona. The friendship between these characters is an almost sisterly love that generates a lot of discussion and ideas. In this scene, they are discussing whether or not women cheat on their husbands. She explains “Let husbands know/ Their wives have sense like them: they see and smell/ And have their palates both for sweet and sour…” (IV.iii.92-94). Emilia states a speech that basically explains how men need to understand women have the same feelings and passions as men do. She justifies the fact that women are equal to men. Men and women see and smell the same. This feminist ideology would have been so rare in Elizabethan times. Shakespeare’s Emilia was both revolutionary and original. People during this time period learned the same lesson that we can learn today: men and women are in fact equal. Readers have contemplated how Shakespeare created this character of Emilia to teach what was, at the time, a very unique lesson.  This exemplifies how creative and revolutionary Shakespeare was. Despite the put-downs and struggles Emilia goes through as a woman in the play, she still holds a determined and passionate stature. This passion and determination not only helps herself, but helps teach Desdemona important lessons.

Emilia’s importance to the story of Othello is so significant. Each reader can learn and take very important messages with them after getting to know Emilia. She is one of the most recognized characters throughout all of shakespeare’s work. Desdemona’s ability to confide in Emilia shows precious moments of sisterhood. As a whole, Emilia shared with the audience that men and women are equivalent with one another.

Injurious Iago

March 10, 2016 5:25 pm / Leave a comment

By Will Langford

Iago is a cunning character that effortlessly deceives the characters of Othello, as he is trusted by the clueless and he manipulates the ones in power in his favor. The reader is especially able to view Iago’s true sentiment in his soliloquy when he addresses the audience and declares his resentment of the moor; a hatred that eventually brings the abrupt downfall of the characters of Othello.

Due to Iago’s compassionate words and his ability to be two faced, he easily infiltrates the minds of the characters of Othello and asserts himself as the puppet master of the naive and vulnerable. Iago detests nearly every character of Othello, as he refers to Othello  and others in a derogatory manner. When Iago calls Othello the moor this is especially derogatory as Iago is only seeing Othello at face value; which in this case is the color of his skin. Iago is also willing to blatantly relay his disgust towards the moor in his soliloquy seen in this passage: ”I hate the Moor:/ And it is thought abroad, that ‘twixt my sheets/ He has done my office” (I.iii.381- 382). This shows Iago’s unrestrained hatred and his willingness to implicate Othello in something that’s only hearsay. Iago equally has ill feelings for his wife, Emilia, as he introduces her to the audience the first the audience sees her with a blatant put down, “Sir, would she give you so much of her lips/ As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,/ You’ll have enough” (II.i.100- 102). This quip from Iago says that he believes that Emilia is constantly berating him. Emilia is frustrated with her husband and the poor state of their marriage, although unlike Iago she desires for their marital relationship to improve. Emilia does this by deciding to trust Iago’s intentions and gives him Desdemona’s handkerchief that Othello gave to her. Iago is even able to trick his wife who knows more about his true face than most of the other characters. Iago deceives every character due to their untarnished image of him, yet Iago must be a persuasive and charismatic character to be able to successfully mislead his wife, who is not unaware of Iago’s bitter side who seems to be a pragmatic character. On the other hand, the other characters, excluding Iago and Emilia, adore Iago for his seemingly honest and compassionate nature, as proven by references to him as “honest Iago.” The audience would never conclude that Iago is honest since the text blatantly shows his deceiving nature. However, it is evident that the characters are oblivious to Iago’s real sentiment due to their references of Iago as honest. Othello especially believes that Iago is a credible source, as he presses him for information by saying, “What is the matter, masters?/ Honest Iago, that look’st dead with grieving,/ Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee” (II.iii.170- 172). Exhibited in the text, the most important quality of Iago is definitely his duplicity. Roderigo knows Iago’s actual diabolic nature, and he is the only one privileged to this side of Iago. Shakespeare clearly intended for this quality to be highlighted by Iago’s reference to Janus, the two faced god. Iago, as well, was written to have two faces; one of honesty and compassion, and another of vehement and resentment.

Iago’s ability to create two faces of polar sentiments is how he creates an image of himself that is perceived as honest and allows him to infiltrate the minds of Othello. We, the readers, are aware of his knack for his treachery and being known as an honest man, yet the characters are tragically not aware, and even Emilia is able to be convinced that Iago has redeemable intentions, as Iago is truly capable of powerful influence and deception.

 

O Reputation O Reputation

March 10, 2016 5:10 pm / Leave a comment

by Hany Kim

Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, shows how love and jealousy can be deadly when it put together. One of the most important characters in this book is Michael Cassio. Cassio’s views on reputation and of himself leads to him being used by Iago to drive his plan forward. Cassio is too trusting of Iago, which leads to the tragedy that is the collateral damage of the plan. It is understood that the people back at Venice generally seem to take a liking to Cassio, especially the Duke of Venice and the senators, since Cassio is appointed the governor of Cyprus at the end of the play. He has his issues with alcohol and his many relationships with multiple women not his wife back home. Despite his flaws, he is still a loyal and talented soldier as shown as he reveres his general, Othello.

Cassio is an attractive and good looking Florentine, referred to as a “proper man” (I.iii.435) by Iago in the first act of the play. Despite his young age and the fact that he has no real field experience, Cassio seems to be a responsible, brave, and  well-disciplined soldier enough to be handpicked by Othello, a revered general in Venice and abroad, as a lieutenant. He also appears to have a good sense of virtue as he laments the loss of his reputation after he stabs Roderigo and loses his lieutenancy when Iago gets him drunk: “Reputation, reputation, reputation! / Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial“ (II.iii.280-283). He is saying that without a good reputation, you will be infamous, known but not in a good way, or worse: not being known or remembered at all. Cassio is also a loyal soldier who respects and praises his general Othello is “so good a commander” (II.iii.297). Even when Othello fired Cassio, he still reveres his former general, as Cassio has so much respect for Othello. In addition, the loyalty and trust appear to be reciprocal since Othello entrusts his love letters between Desdemona and himself during their brief courtship to Cassio. In fact, his loyalty, ability, and responsibility are so well-known that the senators and the Duke in Venice decide to make Cassio a new governor in place of Othello.

However, while he is generally a good soldier, he has his weaknesses. First, with his “handsome, young” face, and “all those requisites…/ that folly and green minds look after” (II.i.267-269), he has issues regarding women despite the fact that he is “almost damned in a fair wife”(II.i.22) back home. Despite the fact that he is in a marriage, he finds pleasure in other women like Bianca, a prostitute. Indeed, he is so intimate with Bianca that she is heartbroken to find out that he does not plan on marrying her in the end. Iago uses this flaw to use this flaw against Othello by convincing him that Cassio is indeed sleeping with Desdemona. Secondly, Cassio has a problem with alcohol in that he has low tolerance for alcohol: “I [Cassio]  have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking” (II.iii.34-35). He does not drink more than a glass of wine probably mixed with water as a rule; however, when he does at Iago’s command, he loses his ability to think properly as seen when he get drunk by Iago’s manipulation and attacks Roderigo and Montana.

Cassio is an important character in Othello because he is a key part in Iago’s plan to destroy the lives of Desdemona and Othello. When Cassio becomes Othello’s lieutenant instead of Iago even when “the three great ones of the city, in personal suit to make [Iago] is [Othello’s] lieutenant”(1.i.9-10), believing that he has been cheated, Iago begins to hate Cassio. An evil genius beyond comparison, Iago uses Cassio’s good qualities such as his handsome face and trusting personality as well as his bad qualities such as his alcohol and women problems to go through with his plan.

Blogging the Bard:Desdemona

March 10, 2016 5:07 pm / Leave a comment

by Johnny Butler

All marriages are tested at some point, but Shakespeare’s Othello portrays the tragedy of a young woman’s unwavering love for an older military man that questions her love.  Throughout the play, Desdemona proves she is loving, caring, and loyal to both her husband and friends.  

Othello first mentions Desdemona when talking to Iago about his love for her and how he won her over with love rather than witchcraft or potions.  Desdemona shows her love for Othello when she tells her father, in front of the Duke, that Othello is her husband and she loves him. “I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband”(I.iii.213). Othello expresses how much he loves Desdemona in the beginning of the play “But that I love the gentle Desdemona”(I.ii.28).  Iago believes that Desdemona made a mistake marrying Othello and she will regret her choice the older Othello gets.  Iago and Desdemona do not seem to get along very well when they meet on the boat.  When Othello lands in Cyprus, Desdemona is excited to see him showing her love is still strong “The heavens forbid But that our loves and comforts should increase, Even as our days do grow!”(II.i.210).  Othello and Desdemona show how much they love one another when they see each other after being separated.  Since Iago wants to get revenge on Othello, his plan is to have Desdemona and Cassio fall in love;  this shows he somewhat dislikes Desdemona by trying to ruin her marriage to Othello.  In Act II, Othello still shows his love for Desdemona continues: “And this, and this, the greatest discords be that e’er our hearts shall make.”(II.i.216-217)  He also shows how much he cares for her when Montano is stabbed by Cassio because he does not lose his temper in front of her.  

 Throughout the play, Desdemona also demonstrates she is caring and loyal to her friends and her husband.  After Cassio is stripped of his rank, she promises to beg Othello until he gives Cassio another chance, “If I do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it To the last article: my lord shall never rest”(III.i.23-24).  Cassio is close enough with Desdemona that he uses her to help change Othello’s mind.  Later, Cassio comes to ask Desdemona whether Othello changed his mind, and Desdemona again promises to keep trying.  Desdemona shows once more that she cares about Cassio when she is unhappy he has not gotten his position back: “A most unhappy one: I would do much To atone them, for the love I bear to Cassio.”()  Desdemona also shows she cares for her friend Emilia when she comes to her with advice about Othello, and Emilia helps her out.  Similarly, Desdemona proves she is caring and loyal to Othello when she tends to his needs while he is sick.  By taking care of him, she shows her love for her husband even though he has started to question her honesty due to lies from Iago.  Othello starts to lose his trust when Desdemona lost his handkerchief, and he starts to think that Desdemona does not love him. On the the other hand, Desdemona feels very bad about her mistake and wonders where she could have lost it.  “Then would to God that I had never seen’t!”(III.iv.90) The handkerchief scene shows that Desdemona still deeply cares about Othello even though he does not think that she does.

The turning point in the play is when Iago has gotten Othello to believe that Desdemona has cheated on him with Cassio. This part of the book shows Othello starting to doubt his love for Desdemona.  But Desdemona shows her deep love and loyalty to Othello, trying to get his attention until he slaps her and she starts to wonder why he is so mad.  Othello is enraged when he sees Bianca with the handkerchief, “I would have him nine years a-killing. A fine woman! a fair woman! a sweet woman!”(IV.i.197)  In this quote Othello shows his anger and hate towards Desdemona; he wants to kill her.  Act 5 Scene 2, Desdemona asks for mercy as Othello is talking about killing her. Right before Othello kills her, Desdemona tells him that she has never cheated on him and never loved Cassio, but she has truly loved Othello the entire time.  After Othello hears that his wife did not cheat on him, he kills himself and asks to die with a kiss as he lays by Desdemona, showing that he regrets not loving and trusting her as much as he should have.

Roderigo, the Romantic Simpleton

March 9, 2016 8:31 pm / 3 Comments on Roderigo, the Romantic Simpleton

by Rodrigo Guerra

        Revenge and cunning outlines the entirety of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello. One of the main personas in the whole scheme that formulates the play is a character named Roderigo. Roderigo, not being aware of it, helps Iago, a character that wants revenge on Othello for promoting Michael Cassio as his lieutenant, and not him. Iago plans to use Roderigo as his pawn in the game of revenge. Roderigo’s views of the other characters in the storyline, as well as their views of him, markedly contribute to the result of the story. Roderigo is the focal point of the story because without him, the entire plot would not be possible. (more…)

Iago’s Symbol

March 9, 2016 8:29 pm / 2 Comments on Iago’s Symbol

by Zachary Lewitton

 

Symbolism is a literary element in which an author uses a symbol to represent a larger ideas or character. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, the Clown is used as a symbol for the antagonist, Iago. In his conversation with the Musician, the Clown is used by Shakespeare as a symbol for Iago.

Through his timing and wordplay, Shakespeare is able to symbolize Iago through the Clown. In the previous scene, tensions were high as Cassio had fought Roderigo and was released from Othello’s service. However, in the very next scene, the Clown uses excellent comedic timing to lighten the mood. Whilst talking to the Musician, the Clown says, “Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?” … “O, thereby hangs a tail.” … “Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I / know.”(III.i.7-11). In this dialogue, the Clown uses puns regarding wind instruments to crack a joke regarding flatulence — often resulting in cheap laughs from the audience. Here, Shakespeare uses the Clown and timing in order to create a perfect moment to relieve the audience of the previous scene’s tension. The Clown’s timing is used to symbolize Iago, as Iago always has impeccable timing to aid his quest of defaming Othello. In Act Three, when Iago tells Othello that Desdemona has been cheating on him, Othello asks for definitive proof before he believes Iago. Shortly thereafter, Emilia, Iago’s wife, presents Iago with Desdemona’s handkerchief — which was entrusted to her by Othello. Iago then uses the handkerchief to convince Othello of Desdemona’s affair (this then spirals into a tragedy based on false evidence). The Clown’s excellent comedic timing symbolizes the serendipity and good fortune that timing provides Iago.

Another way in which the Clown symbolizes Iago is through his belittlement and mockery. During his conversation with the Musician, the Clown cannot help but tease the Musician through clever wordplay and puns. In the conversation, in addition to the previous quotes, the Clown says, “Why masters, have your instruments been in / Naples, that they speak i’ th’ nose thus?”(III.i.4-5). Although the quote is difficult to interpret for modern readers, the quote alludes to the fact that syphilis was often contracted in Naples, rotting away noses. With this wordplay, it means that the music being played sounds grotesque. However, this insult goes unnoticed to the Musician making the Clown’s belittlement of the Musician undetected. The Clown’s undetected belittlement represents the various ways in which Iago insults and slanders Othello. Although Iago does not belittle Othello directly to his face, he often does in his asides, or with other characters. On one occasion Iago calls Othello “a Barbary horse” and “an old black ram” (I.i.97,125). By calling Othello these names, he contradicts all that he does while with Othello. By Othello’s side, Iago acts as a servant and loyal friend who is always there to aid Othello. However, Iago is able to mock and trick Othello by giving him false advice in hopes of destroying his reputation and military career (which he successfully does). In a similar position as the Musician, Othello does not know of this deceit and mockery and follows Iago’s advice. The Clown’s mockery of the Musician is a smaller scale version of Iago’s mockery of Othello.

While only written into a very brief scene, the Clown symbolizes Iago’s characteristics and mannerisms. Also, the Clown symbolizes not only Iago’s amazing luck and timing in the play, but also his relationship with Othello. In a way, the scene between the Clown and the Musician foreshadows the entirety of the play. The Clown meets the Musician; the Clown mocks and belittles the Musician; the Clown forces the Musician out of the picture. Through his literary knowledge, Shakespeare is able to represent a major character in the play through one small scene of dialogue.

The death of a hero

March 9, 2016 8:28 pm / 6 Comments on The death of a hero

By Anish Odhav

The renowned writer of the play Othello, William Shakespeare, once wrote, “some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” Shakespeare personifies the ideas in this quote through his tragic hero Othello. Throughout the tale, Shakespeare describes how a virtuous man married to a beautiful maiden falls prey to doubt and fear, eventually leading to his ultimate downfall. Shakespeare conveys this fall from grace by creating different personas progressively throughout the play for Othello, and this becomes the defining trait that eventually leads to Othello’s downfall.

Othello is a complex and fascinating character who has many facets and complex character traits which seem to change and develop throughout the play. From the beginning of the play, the reader can clearly tell that generally, the people of the public regard Othello very highly as well. Othello is seen as a leader, compatriot and friend to many of the rich and wealthy of Venetian society. Even Brabantio loved Othello before he married Desdemona; Othello describes how, “Her father loved me, oft invited me, / Still question’d me the story of my life, / From year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes, / That I have passed.” (I.iii.149-152) when he is talking about Desdemona to the senators. The only person perceived to actually hate Othello is Iago, a person who seems to have problems with anger anyway. Even Roderigo doesn’t actually hate Othello as a person, but rather he hates the idea of Othello being married to Desdemona. In terms of Othello, his emotions and perceptions of people fluctuate far too much throughout the play to make a generalization about his feelings for everyone. At the beginning of the play, Othello seems to be a caring and trusting person. In fact, until Iago plants the seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind, Othello seems to love and care about everyone he interacts with. For example, even when Cassio has stabbed the much loved and cared about Montano, Othello tells him that he still loves him and that it hurts him to strip Cassio of his rank. Othello also places trust in almost everyone he encounters and seems to actually love his wife a lot. However, by the end of the play, Othello totally changes personality. He always seems preoccupied and worried to the other characters in the play, and he constantly treats Desdemona with animosity. Also, he starts to lose his public composure which slowly eats away at his image. For example, when he is greeting Ludovico and Desdemona comes to help, he quickly loses his temper for no apparent reason and slaps her. To onlookers, he looks like a man who has lost his senses and is not fit to be of his status. This change in personality ultimately leads to his downfall as he slowly becomes more and more erratic, eventually making the rash decision to kill both Desdemona and Cassio. Ultimately, in the end, Othello understands how he caused his own fall from grace, and eventually kills himself with the final words, “I took by th’ throat the circumcised dog,/ And smote him thus. he stabs himself” (V,ii,415-416) In his final declaration, Othello calls himself a dog and denigrates himself, symbolizing his understanding of his failure. He also changes his nature for the last time: from an erratic and distrusting man to the loving and proud man he once was; unfortunately, this change of heart came far too late for Othello.

Overall,Othello’s lack of strong character and his constant change of nature leads to his ultimate downfall. All throughout the play he can never seem to settle on a specific character and is in constant flux. Othello’s story is relevant to the reader because it warns against the dangers of a lack of character. His depiction successfully shows how seemingly the best of men can be brought to their knees due to the lack of a solid character. Even if the reader probably will not turn into a murderer because of their lack of personality, the audience can understand how their life can be ruined by this fatal mistake. Ultimately, we see how an erratic and constantly changing persona can lead to the death of a hero, both literally and figuratively.

bibliography for image: Adamczyk, Matthew. “Rogue Ballerina.” Rogue Ballerina. Web. 09 Mar. 2016.

Brabandeezo

March 9, 2016 8:27 pm / 6 Comments on Brabandeezo

by Catherine Ribbeck

The unwilling father who thinks no man is worthy of their daughter has long been a standard portrayal of a fatherly figure in a family.  In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, the Moor of Venice, Brabantio’s character is just that.  Brabantio’s dramatic ways of dealing with situations and excessive concern for his daughter, as an object rather than an actual person, gives readers an appropriate understanding of him as a character.

In the very beginning, Brabantio comes across as your average person, but through his interactions with other characters, the reader can quickly see his presumptuousness.  During the confusion in the first act of the play, Brabantio cannot even comprehend the fact Desdemona could go behind his back and get married, especially to Othello who is a Moor.  When he confronts Othello about it he insists the only way he could have gotten Desdemona to fall in love with him is with “drugs or minerals” (I.ii.93).  He sees witchcraft and potions as the only logical options because he is certain there is no way she would willingly get married.  He questions “How got she out?” (I.i.191) once he figures out about the secret ceremony.  He acts as if he knows where his daughter is every waking moment of the day.  Brabantio felt he knew what was going on in Desdemona’s life, only to find out she got married without his knowledge.  It is like he sees himself as a good father who should know what his daughter is up to, but without putting in the time to even talk to her and find out.  This is a great contributing factor to what causes him to dramatize the situation far beyond what is appropriate.  He thinks of Desdemona’s marriage to Othello as a crime.  Brabantio treats the situation like Othello has stolen property from him, showing the objectification he gives to his daughter and women in general.  He is oblivious to the fact that she is an actual person with emotions who is fully capable of falling in love with someone.  Like an open book, Brabantio’s personality is shown completely through his words and views of the situations at hand.  A reader could wonder if Brabantio was aware of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage plans would still be angry? Or was it the lack of knowledge he had that sparked his hot-headed outbreak?

His grieving period over the “loss” of his daughter is short-lived.  The grief from losing his daughter to another man is ultimately the cause of his death.

 

Honest Iago’s Lie

March 9, 2016 8:27 pm / 1 Comment on Honest Iago’s Lie

by Julian Fertitta

“Truth is as straight as an arrow, while a lie swivels like a snake.”  – Suzy Kassem.

One of the most iconic and well-known characters in Shakespeare’s play Othello is the evil and deceiving Iago.  His impressively intricate web of lies and tricks have placed him in history as one of the most devious characters in literature.  He interacts in some way with almost every character in the play, and leaves an impact on every one of them, either with his twisted lies or even killing them in cold blood.  He starts off the play in dialogue with a man named Rodrigo who is in love with Desdemona, the daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio.  In Act 1 scene 1, we are quickly introduced to Iago and his deceptive and cruel personality when he says “O, sir, content you; I follow him (Othello) to serve my turn upon him: We cannot all be masters, nor all masters/ Cannot be truly follow’d.” (I.i.45-46)

Here he’s talking about how he secretly doesn’t serve Othello, and doesn’t actually respect him as his master.  This whole conversation shows what kind of character Iago is, traitorous and a real backstabber.  This line encapsulates Iago’s motivation and shows his true colors, giving us an idea of what to expect from him in the future.  

Despite his ridiculously over the top idea of revenge, Iago is actually a very smart and cunning man.  Even though he has all of this aggression and evil intent inside him, he still manages to give off the impression that he is a kind and honest man who simply wants the best for other people.  He really fools the other characters in the play, as they all praise him for his “honesty” until they discover that he has been lying to all of them the whole time.  For instance, his nickname is quite literally “Honest Iago”.  Othello, and many of the other characters, refer to him as this often.   The level of trust that everyone has for him is very impressive, and obviously took years to form in most cases considering it can be difficult to gain someone’s loyalty and respect in the military.

The only character who seems to be catching on to Iago is Emilia, Iago’s wife.  However, he still fools her several times as well.  She clearly loves him much more than he loves her, but when she finds out that he planted the handkerchief on Cassio, she doesn’t seem to doubt that this was something her husband would have done.  “If he say so, may his pernicious soul/ Rot half a grain a day! he lies to the heart.” (V.ii.190-192).  She stood up to him and called him out on what he did, despite her love for him.  She ends up being killed for standing up to him, but at that point she was the first person to do it.  If she had not spoken, Iago might have gotten away with his almost perfect plan.

We can clearly see that Iago is an incredibly deceptive and dark character and is not the “Honest Iago” that most characters thought.  He is the only character to have direct dialogue with the audience, which can be a great window into the deep and twisted mind that he has.  It’s hard to imagine that anyone could trust Iago, but when we look back at the way he communicates with the other characters, we can see that he is a master of deception and seems to always be one step ahead.

 

Enigmatic Emilia: The Woman of Mystery

March 9, 2016 8:27 pm / 4 Comments on Enigmatic Emilia: The Woman of Mystery

by Anna Thomas

As Hayden Rome, a Roman self proclaimed scholar, said, “Emilia ’twas the dankest,” an admission that may hold more weight than it seems to. The word “dank” is associated with darkness and the shadows, and that is typically where Emilia’s character resides. She rarely speaks her mind, but when she does, incredibly important things occur in the plot. In Othello by William Shakespeare, Emilia, whilst being the most enigmatic character in the play – even more so than her husband – is also the most impactful, complicit in not only Iago’s victories, but also his downfall.  

At face value, Emilia is just a woman trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage to her husband, obeying his every wish and command out of loyalty, love, fear, or some combination of those. She is beholden to her husband, obeying his every wish, and never retaliatory when he verbally abuses her, even when in front of others. She carries out the plan to steal Desdemona’s handkerchief, an action that has serious ramifications, most importantly being Desdemona’s ultimate fate. This decision to betray her friend is a confusing one, yet Emilia offers no explanation, keeping the reader in the dark about herself and her various and sundry motivations once more. In one of her most important scenes, the Willow Scene, she tells Desdemona that she would cheat on her husband “for the whole world”, for “who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch”(IV.iii.85-87). This thought is the first time the reader gets an insight to Emilia’s character, and the  first time she actually expresses some sort of rebellion. Whether or not she chooses to keep these thoughts to herself out of fear or natural reticence, it is unclear, but it is telling that she only reveals these thoughts to Desdemona, who she adores. In fact, the only time she breaks free from Iago’s control when she realizes how her husband was complicit in the death of Desdemona, and even asks Othello to “lay [her] by [her] mistress’s side” when Iago kills her (V.ii.284). This action shows how, although she appears to be loyal to Iago, her truest loyalty is to Desdemona, something that nobody knows about her until the very end. Her last act is revealing Iago as the villain the entire time, which is especially important because she is the only character he didn’t have a plan for. She was his downfall, his Achilles heel: without her, he would have never been caught. Her final words are “so speaking as I think, alas I die” which is the most compelling evidence of her reticence (V.ii.301). For the first time in her life, she has spoken her own thoughts, voicing them to ruin her husband and avenge her mistress, and this final brave action leaves her dead, murdered by the man she unmasked.

Emilia is the most enigmatic character in the play, and she single-handedly changes the outcome of the story, not once, but twice, securing not only the fates of Desdemona and Othello, but also the fate of her husband. Shakespeare’s motivations for her character’s personality are equally enigmatic: it makes me wonder what he was thinking when he wrote her into this play. She could have had a smaller role, with less effect on the plot, but Shakespeare wrote her as an influential woman with important thoughts and impacts on almost every character’s fate. Was this on purpose? Was there a message that Shakespeare was trying to convey? All in all, Emilia was indeed a dank character, and our questions about her only contribute to that darkness and mystery.

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