The great failing of Othello is that Desdemona and Emilia are too weak and easily deceived to be convincing.
Use Act 4 scene 3 as a starting point to discuss and evaluate different interpretations of Desdemona and Emilia in Othello.
The relationship between men and women is also the key theme of Othello. the play by William Shakespeare.
Womens status and role were subject to the tyranny of patriarchy society. Womens rights were restricted legally, socially and economically.
Othello shows us how womens character and reputation can be manipulated and distorted by men as literature during the time of Shakespeare usually promoted women to be silent and obedient.
Emilia is a character in Shakespeares Othello. She is a servant and wife to the villain Iago. Despite her low status, Emilias role is significant.
The stealing of the handkerchief is the most important of Emilias role.
Acting on Iagos request Emilia steals a handkerchief and plays the part assigned to her without questioning any body until she realizes what is happening.
She is an important foil on her mistresss view on men, sex and marriage.
Emilia dominates Act 4 scene 3 because she speaks not only for herself but also for the rest of the women in he Venetian society. We see that Emilia is more realistic about male- female relationships than Desdemona, discussing marriage she says-they eat us hungrily, and when they are full/They belch us and she offers a realistic view of marriage. Emilia believes that certain issues in marriage are acceptable.
It was not until Emilia was faced with the tragic death of Desdemona that she was able to express her desire to escape from the male-dominated society.
To begin with we are presented with a picture of powerful womanhood; a daughter has deceived her father and asserted his independence from patriarchy by choosing her own husband.
The character of Desdemona represents a woman of the 17th century who in the beginning of the play questions her father, And so much duty my mother showed/To you, preferring you before her father Thus she decided to take her relationship into her own hands and ignored the tradition of receiving her fathers approval. She stands up to her father before the Duke and the Council proclaiming her love for Othello.
When Othello slaps her she says I have not deserved this but respects Othellos authority over her and does not put up a fight which does not show that she is weak but she is obedient.
Even after Othello slaps Desdemona she still speaks to him in respect and tell Emilia, We must not now displease him this shows that she puts her loyalties in front of her morals.
She forgets about the handkerchief only at the moment when she is too worried about Othellos headache. She totally misinterprets the handkerchief case, and even when Othello was getting more and more angry she kept on talking about Casio which suggested she had feelings for him. It is not weakness but it is innocence.
Desdemona is confused over her husbands unexplained behavior, culminating in his striking of her in public and accusing her being a whore- I took you for that cunning whore of Venice.
Desdemona cannot believe that Emilia would wrong her husband, Emilia retorts that the world is a great price for a small vice, she would do it and undot when I had done it.
Desdemona pleads for mercy and claims her innocence but is lead towards a brutal death.
Desdemona and Emilias martial loyalties divide them. Both Emilia and Desdemona give their highest priority in obeying their husband.
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