But she redeems herself, or at least gives a good shot at trying. However, while Desdemona’s death reflects the murder of an innocent victim, Emilia dies seeking atonement for her participation in Iago’s crimes. Desdemona and Emilia continue to have a lengthy conversation about whether they would cheat on their husbands and why women would cheat on their husbands in general. Emilia has already been accused of cheating on her husband and moved on. What dramatic function does the conversation between Montano and the 2 gentlemen serve? What has just happened? For instance, in act 4 scene 3, Desdemona and Emilia are having a conversation when Emilia says, “Let husbands know their wives have sense like them. Desdemona asks Emilia if Emilia believes that there are women who are unfaithful to their husbands. Emilia … Emilia and Desdemona make a clear contrast in their approach to marriage and fidelity. Concerning you. Previously, in the same scene, Desdemona was ordered … Iago’s attitude towards his wife is proprietorial and controlling. What is the result of the second fight between Roderigo and Cassio? What does the conversation between Emilia and Desdemona (Scene iii) tellus about the nature of each? The fault in men. They are part and parcel of what goes on in the play and eventually how the crisis of the play is resolved. Desdemona is confident, or at least hopeful, that her husband is not jealous, while Emilia suspects that all men are jealous. asked Mar 14, 2017 in Language Arts & World Languages by Cyclops. How to cite this article: Ragland, Fanny. The bond, then, between lago and Emilia is the bond of evil, in the one case instinctive, in the other acquired. The two women have very different opinions on the subject. At the beginning of the play she seems either complicate or naive to her husband’s plot to ruin Othello. Cassio asks the clown to fetch Emilia to see him, but Iago arrives and promises not only to send Emilia to him but also to devise it so that Cassio can have some private conversation with Desdemona. Emilia has a practical intelligence and assesses each situation to decide which is the best course of action. Who first puts the pieces together and points the … This leads Emilia into a bit of a rant. Begot upon itself, born on itself. Discuss the conversation between Emilia and Desdemona about jealousy and men and what this reveals about Emilia's character. creative-writing; 0 Answers. But jealous souls will not be answer'd so; They are not ever jealous for the cause, But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster. Marriage has made Emilia cynical about male–female relationships; she knows she is merely 'food' (III.4.105) for Iago, acceptable until she disobeys him and refuses to be silent, at which point she is dismissed as a 'Villainous whore' (V.2.227). ACT III.iv. She does not shy away from her fear and bids for Othello to do the sensible thing and ask Cassio how he obtained her handkerchief. Emilia's one dishonest act towards Desdemona—stealing her special handkerchief—turns out to have devastating consequences. However, Emilia and Desdemona have an interesting conversation when Desdemona, the absolute innocent, asks if any woman would cheat on their husband for the whole world. This tenacity of Desdemona is partly what serves as her downfall; … Emilia becomes a parallel to Desdemona, as another woman killed by her husband for insisting on a truth that he did not want to hear. EMILIA. Shows imagery and what is going on in the story. “(Marsh, 1998) Desdemona’s conversation with Brabantio suggests that she is a strong woman. Desdemona's banter with Iago and Emilia at their arrival in Cyprus (2.1.100ff) has been traditionally regarded as distasteful and cut on moral and artistic grounds, being deemed unworthy of a noble tragedy such as Othello and out of character for Desdemona. For all of this scene the main focus has been on Desdemona.She has led the conversation into dark and melancholy areas, with Emilia attempting to calm her and keep things normal. convinced of the fact that Desdemona is having an affair as a result of Iago’s manipulative antics, Othello proceeds to bombard Emilia with questions in an attempt to force her to admit that she possesses knowledge of said affair. Desdemona; the innocent wife, Bianca; the courtesan and Emilia; Desdemona’s attendant and Iago’s wife. What will be an ideal response? The conversation between Desdemona (Othello’s wife) and Emilia (Iago’s wife) occurs after their relationship starts to deteriorate based on Iago’s manipulations. He sounds intensely jealous. Pray heaven it be state-matters, as you think, And no conception nor no jealous toy. DESDEMONA. Emilia Desdemona Relationship In the play “Othello”, by William Shakespeare, there are two major feminine figures that attract our attention. However, Othello is in too emotional a state to listen, and he has already ordered the lieutenant's murder. There is an acute sadness to Desdemona’s declaration of fidelity between herself and her husband, Othello, as the whole scene is foreshadowed by the tragic events that are to happen in Act 5 Scene 2. Her innocence is highlighted against Othello's unfair accusations. Emilia is an interesting character. One is the wife of the play’s tragic hero-Othello; the other is betrothed to one of the greatest villains of all time-Iago. Ed. Desdemona and Emilia both had downfalls in there relationship. Strangled by Othello. Iago is suspicious that Othello has cuckolded him, and dislikes the courtesy Cassio shows Emilia when she first arrives in Cyprus. Desdemona has a more romantic if not naive outlook on love. Enter Othello, Lodovico, Desdemona, and Emilia: The state dinner is over, and Othello -- followed by Desdemona and Emilia -- is walking with Lodovico, who says, "I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further" (4.3.1), but Othello says that it will do him good to walk some more.Apparently they are just outside of Othello's quarters, so Lodovico bids Desdemona good night. As she is definite in her language, using short sentences at the end of her speeches and has a direct purpose in what she says. What information does Iago use to spark Roderigo's interest in his plan to discredit Cassio? Desdemona proves herself to be faithful when she says, “Beshrew me if I did such a wrong for the whole world” (4.3.81). Desdemona asks whether Emilia would ever cheat on Iago, and Emilia, much older and more cynical, tells her that plenty of women cheat. Asked by Budova E #970025 on 3/26/2020 2:49 PM Last updated by Aslan on 3/27/2020 3:51 AM Answers 1 Add Yours. Desdemona admits that … Whatever love is left is felt by Emilia, who tries to please Iago by giving him the handkerchief. In the scene, Emilia articulates the reasons why she might betray/cheat her husband. Roderigo is killed, Cassio is seriously injured. The downfalls in Emilia’s marriage is the way in which she allowed herself to be treated. They see, and smell, and have their palates both for sweet and sour, as husbands have. She can't imagine cheating on her husband even if he deserved it, "No, by this heavenly light!" She knows that men cheat and thinks it but a little vice to sooth a woman's soul in a world stacked up against them, "The world's a huge thing: it is a great price. Emilia’s relationship with Iago is a chilling example of marital disharmony. Desdemona and Emilia. The loss of the handkerchief is what convinces Othello that Desdemona is guilty of infidelity, and Emilia's little theft ends up causing her friend's death (at least in part). The conversation emphasizes Desdemona's virtue and loyalty. 0 votes. She too offers to arrange an opportunity for him to talk privately to Desdemona. Is it sport?”(IV.3.360-1). To use it against Cassio or Othello. In Desdemona and Emilia’s conversation, what does Emilia say causes women to cheat on their husbands? Emila is much more world weary and realistic about love. Since the beginning of the play, she knew that she wasn’t getting treated properly by her husband,nonetheless she stayed with him. As Emilia prepares her for bed, Desdemona says that she loves her husband in spite of his sudden rage, but she also makes an eerie reference to dying young. Answered by Aslan on 3/27/2020 3:51 AM Othello is acting paranoid and crazy over the handkerchief. Desdemona declares again that she can't believe there's a single woman in the world who would cheat on her husband. Explain the purpose of the final conversation between Emilia and Desdemona. answered Mar 14, 2017 by Mr305 . Desdemona says that “O, these men, these men! However, as the scene progresses, Desdemona takes control of the conversation, having Iago invent praises while she and Emilia criticise them. Othello and Emilia argue about Desdemona until she reveals he has been deceived by her husband, Iago. She has suffered for some time from the emotional neglect and public scorn of husband … Of what do the two women speak? There conversation is ironic because Desdemona claims that Othello holds no traits such as jealous when, in reality, Othello at the very moment has succumb to jealousy. In Desdemona´s character EMILIA. What is it that they do when they change us for others? For a small vice." Desdemona’s downfall began when her husband stopped trusting her. The whole scene is an exchange of thoughts and feelings between Desdemona and Iago’s wife, Emilia, regarding the act of infidelity. Shakespeare Examinations. Emilia sympathises with Cassio’s plight and is confident that he will be restored. Emilia's practicality comes forth when she makes the point that the world "is a great price for a small vice" (1020). Explain the significance of the handkerchief to Othello. However, by the end of the play, she shows herself to be brave and heroic, an act that costs her her life. Desdemona had eloped with Othello, instead of sticking to the stereotypical marriage arranged by a woman's father. Emilia responds that she would be able to betray her husband. Desdemona is a romantic who has married for love and values loyalty absolutely. She asks Emilia if she would be unfaithful if it would mean that her husband could have the world. She states that she would never be unfaithful even if it was to save the world (1020). How is the conversation about jealousy between Emilia and Desdemona ironic? Now Desdemona asks Emilia’s opinion on marital abuse and deceit, and Emilia starts to show a darker side to her character. In Act 1, Scene 3, Desdemona shows true courage by standing up against her father, Brabantio in oppose to the marriage for Othello. Alas the day! Desdemona and Emilia are both loyal wives who would do anything to please their husbands the best they can. Emilia calls for help and when Montano and Gratiano arrive with Iago, she accuses Othello of murdering Desdemona and Iago of being a liar. Desdemona is in love with him. Roderigo . I never gave him cause. Back to the Othello Examination Questions main page. In the opening conversation between Othello and Emilia, Othello incessantly questions Emilia about any and all interaction between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago tries to blame the fight on who? Why does Iago carefully observe the way Cassio greets Desdemona? (It is never clear if she ever actually did.) The interview between Othello and Desdemona begins stiffly and formally: "Well, my good lady" (30), and she, taking her cue from him, answers formally. Desdemona combines rationality and tenacity in her final conversation with Othello. As the story developed, she desperately tried to detach herself from her more scandalous decision in the past, by being overly faithful to Othello in letting him question her and her intentions with Cassio. How does Desdemona die? She says you could justify cheating in lots of different ways. Emilia’s actions on stage, however, might suggest nonchalance, or that she rises above her husband’s gross humour. Emilia's love for Desdemona is perhaps the purest of her feelings. “Desdemona‘s language is as absolute as possible: we notice ‘ever’ and ‘never’ in her declaration of love. She admits that she does in fact love Othello and wants to be with him. 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