Emilia

Othello by William Shakespeare

In the beginning of Othello, Emilia shows herself to be a submissive, while somewhat resentful, housewife to Iago.  In the face of his misogynistic behavior, she tolerates him as, in her opinion, a good wife should.  However, Act V holds a dramatic shift in Emilia's demeanor and disposition toward her husband.  When  Emilia learns of Iago's deception and the horrible events it has made come to pass, she refuses to sit back and submit to his will.  Rather, proving herself a dynamic character, Emilia shifts from her quiet, compliant housewife persona to an indignant, outraged woman bent on scolding her husband for his misdeeds until the day he dies.  Inveighing against Iago, Emilia says, "You told a lie, an odious, damned lie, upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie! She false with Cassio! Did you say with Cassio?" (Shakespeare 1455).  In her outrage, Emilia also reveals several important character traits she possesses.  First, her incredulity at Iago's deception, emphasized by the repetition of the word lie in the previous quote, shows Emilia to have a certain virtuous standard.  While she certainly does not epitomize saintly behavior, Emilia possesses decent morals.  According to her reaction, Iago's behavior flies in the face of these expectations.  Secondly, Emilia expresses extreme respect and loyalty toward Desdemona in her outburst.  The concluding phrases, questioning whether Iago had actually accused such a pure woman of such foul behavior, display a certain admiration for Desdemona's character and disgust for those who defame it.