Desdemona Vs. Emilia Essay, Research Paper

Desdemona, the bride of Othello, and Emilia, the wife of the villain Iago, are the two principal female characters in Shakespeare s Othello. Although they are both very loyal to their husbands, a sharp contrast between these women is realized with regard to Desdemona s innocence and idealism and Emilia s experience and realism.

Desdemona and Emilia are loyal characters who want to please their husbands. Desdemona s loyalty to Othello reaches to her superceding her loyalty to her father and moving to Cyprus to be with him. True to her lord, Desdemona follows Othello s every wish, despite him strikes her in public and calling her a strumpet in a jealous rage. Following these, Desdemona discovers that she is facing a death my her jealous husband s hand, but does not resist her fate or argue her life. She follows her belief of whatever her husband says or does is correct and accepts that she will die for his honour. Pronounced on her deathbed , her loyalty to Othello is proved by her stating: If you say so, I hope you will not kill me. (Shakespeare) Even faced with death, she will accept his actions and die by his will. Her loyalty is true and unbreakable, and Desdemona risks it all to remain a loyal wife to her once respectable husband. Emilia is also a very loyal character to her husband, Iago. Although Iago is of villainous personality, Emilia realizes as his wife she has a duty to obey him. She allows him to call her a wench and dares not to renounce him, despite her very confident nature. Emilia s loyalty to her husband even begins to conflict with her many other loyalties, even that with her mistress, Desdemona, whom she loves dearly. She lies directly to her when Desdemona enquires to her the whereabouts of her handkerchief. Emilia will not even hint to the misplacing of the napkin as her fault. Furthermore she knows it will cause much trouble between Desdemona and her lord and may result in a very serious accusation against her mistress, but she remains loyal to Iago.

I am glad that I have found this napkin:

This was her first remembrance from the Moor.

My wayward husband hath a hundred times

Wooed me to steal it; but she so loves the token-

For he conjured her she should ever keep it-

That she reserves it evermore about her

To kiss and talk to. I ll have the work ta en out,

and give t Iago.

What he will do with it, heaven knows, not I:

I nothing, but to please his fantasy.

(Shakespeare)

Although these women have a strong sense of loyalty, they are very different in their experience and perception of reality. Desdemona is a very innocent and chaste woman with a very romantic perception of the world. She is quick to trust those around her and dares not to question of evil intents. She confides in Iago and even faced with her murder will not understand Othello s jealousy. Believing in a picture perfect world, she concludes her lord and master is always thinking and acting within her best interests. My heart s subdued, even to the utmost pleasure of my lord (Shakespeare), Desdemona quotes, almost hinting to leaving behind all her feelings and her conscious to become the puppet of Othello s desires. But once Othello s corruptive jealousy takes control, her blind trust makes her a very vulnerable woman and her idealism causes her much harm. Emilia s perception is one of contrasting nature. Emilia s experience and realism invite a very self-confident woman, who looks at things just as they are. She understands that she must stand up for her very few rights and will not let manipulative men rule her life. Although she does realize the authority men have over the women in the Elizabethan time, she does not hesitate to speak against them in private. In this passage she is speaking to Desdemona of the realities of men s thoughts and giving her hope to stand up for herself:

Or else [husbands] break out in peevish jealousies,

Throwing restraint upon us; or say they strike us,

Or scant our former having in despite-

Why, we have galls; and though we have some grace,

Yet we have some revenge. Let our husbands know

Their wives have sense like them: they see and smell,

And have their plates both for sweet and sour

As husbands have. What is it that they do,

When they change us for others? Is it sport?

I think it is. And doth affection breed it?

I think it doth. Is t frailty that thus errs?

It is so too. And have not we affections,

Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?

Then let them uses us well: else let then know

The ills we do, theirs ills instruct us so.

(Shakespeare)

Although both these woman live very similar lives, their personalities are almost completely opposite. Desdemona s idealism adds much needed fantasy and Emilia s realism contributes truth to their friendship, but despite theses drastic differences in character, they are true friends until the end.

Desdemona and Emilia both share a very strong sense of loyalty towards their husbands, but differ in their perception of reality. Their ideas and feelings are very distinct from one another s and their loyalty to their husbands is almost identical, nevertheless, together these two form a bond never broken or challenged, not even in death. They truly demonstrate how love blooms between even the most contrasting or complementary personalities.

Desdemona, the bride of Othello, and Emilia, the wife of the villain Iago, are the two principal female characters in Shakespeare s Othello. Although they are both very loyal to their husbands, a sharp contrast between these women is realized with regard to Desdemona s innocence and idealism and Emilia s experience and realism.

Desdemona and Emilia are loyal characters who want to please their husbands. Desdemona s loyalty to Othello reaches to her superceding her loyalty to her father and moving to Cyprus to be with him. True to her lord, Desdemona follows Othello s every wish, despite him strikes her in public and calling her a strumpet in a jealous rage. Following these, Desdemona discovers that she is facing a death my her jealous husband s hand, but does not resist her fate or argue her life. She follows her belief of whatever her husband says or does is correct and accepts that she will die for his honour. Pronounced on her deathbed , her loyalty to Othello is proved by her stating: If you say so, I hope you will not kill me. (Shakespeare) Even faced with death, she will accept his actions and die by his will. Her loyalty is true and unbreakable, and Desdemona risks it all to remain a loyal wife to her once respectable husband. Emilia is also a very loyal character to her husband, Iago. Although Iago is of villainous personality, Emilia realizes as his wife she has a duty to obey him. She allows him to call her a wench and dares not to renounce him, despite her very confident nature. Emilia s loyalty to her husband even begins to conflict with her many other loyalties, even that with her mistress, Desdemona, whom she loves dearly. She lies directly to her when Desdemona enquires to her the whereabouts of her handkerchief. Emilia will not even hint to the misplacing of the napkin as her fault. Furthermore she knows it will cause much trouble between Desdemona and her lord and may result in a very serious accusation against her mistress, but she remains loyal to Iago.

I am glad that I have found this napkin:

This was her first remembrance from the Moor.

My wayward husband hath a hundred times

Wooed me to steal it; but she so loves the token-

For he conjured her she should ever keep it-

That she reserves it evermore about her

To kiss and talk to. I ll have the work ta en out,

and give t Iago.

What he will do with it, heaven knows, not I:

I nothing, but to please his fantasy.

(Shakespeare)

Although these women have a strong sense of loyalty, they are very different in their experience and perception of reality. Desdemona is a very innocent and chaste woman with a very romantic perception of the world. She is quick to trust those around her and dares not to question of evil intents. She confides in Iago and even faced with her murder will not understand Othello s jealousy. Believing in a picture perfect world, she concludes her lord and master is always thinking and acting within her best interests. My heart s subdued, even to the utmost pleasure of my lord (Shakespeare), Desdemona quotes, almost hinting to leaving behind all her feelings and her conscious to become the puppet of Othello s desires. But once Othello s corruptive jealousy takes control, her blind trust makes her a very vulnerable woman and her idealism causes her much harm. Emilia s perception is one of contrasting nature. Emilia s experience and realism invite a very self-confident woman, who looks at things just as they are. She understands that she must stand up for her very few rights and will not let manipulative men rule her life. Although she does realize the authority men have over the women in the Elizabethan time, she does not hesitate to speak against them in private. In this passage she is speaking to Desdemona of the realities of men s thoughts and giving her hope to stand up for herself:

Or else [husbands] break out in peevish jealousies,

Throwing restraint upon us; or say they strike us,

Or scant our former having in despite-

Why, we have galls; and though we have some grace,

Yet we have some revenge. Let our husbands know

Their wives have sense like them: they see and smell,

And have their plates both for sweet and sour

As husbands have. What is it that they do,

When they change us for others? Is it sport?

I think it is. And doth affection breed it?

I think it doth. Is t frailty that thus errs?

It is so too. And have not we affections,

Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?

Then let them uses us well: else let then know

The ills we do, theirs ills instruct us so.

(Shakespeare)

Although both these woman live very similar lives, their personalities are almost completely opposite. Desdemona s idealism adds much needed fantasy and Emilia s realism contributes truth to their friendship, but despite theses drastic differences in character, they are true friends until the end.

Desdemona and Emilia both share a very strong sense of loyalty towards their husbands, but differ in their perception of reality. Their ideas and feelings are very distinct from one another s and their loyalty to their husbands is almost identical, nevertheless, together these two form a bond never broken or challenged, not even in death. They truly demonstrate how love blooms between even the most contrasting or complementary personalities.