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{{Short description|Character in Othello}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Emilia (''Othello'')}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Emilia (''Othello'')}}
{{Infobox Shakespearean character
{{Infobox character
| name = Emilia
| name = Emilia
| image = Dante Gabriel Rossetti - Desdemona's Death Song.JPG
| series = [[Othello]]
| image = Dante Gabriel Rossetti - Desdemona's Death Song.JPG
| caption = ''Desdemona's Death Song'' by [[Dante Gabriel Rossetti]]
| caption = ''Desdemona's Death Song'' by [[Dante Gabriel Rossetti]]
| creator = [[William Shakespeare]]
| creator = [[William Shakespeare]]
| play = [[Othello]]
| based_on =
| source =
| portrayer =
| other_names =
| alias =
| family =
| affiliation =
| associates =
| spouse = [[Iago]]
| role =
| family =
| portrayed_by =
| see_also =
}}
}}


'''Emilia''' is a character in the [[tragedy]] ''[[Othello]]'' by [[William Shakespeare]]. The character's origin is traced to the 1565 tale, "Un capitano Moro" from [[Cinthio|Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio]]'s ''Gli Hecatommithi''. There, the character is described as young and virtuous, is referred to simply as the ensign's wife, and becomes Desdemona's companion in [[Cyprus]]. In Shakespeare, she is named Emilia, is the wife of [[Othello (character)|Othello]]'s ensign, [[Iago]], and is an attendant to Othello's wife, [[Desdemona (Othello)|Desdemona]]. While considered a minor character in the drama, she has been portrayed by several notable actresses on film, with [[Joyce Redman]] receiving an [[Academy Award]] nomination for her performance.
'''Emilia''' is a character in the [[tragedy]] ''[[Othello]]'' by [[William Shakespeare]]. She is married to Othello's ensign [[Iago]], and is a maidservant to Othello's wife, [[Desdemona (Othello)|Desdemona]].

==Sources==
''Othello'' has its source in the 1565 tale, "Un Capitano Moro" from ''Gli Hecatommithi'' by [[Cinthio|Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio]]. While no English translation of Cinthio was available in Shakespeare's lifetime, it is probable that Shakespeare knew both the Italian original and Gabriel Chappuy's 1584 French translation. Cinthio's tale may have been based on an actual incident occurring in Venice about 1508.<ref name="4trag">Shakespeare, William. ''Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth''. Bantam Books, 1988.</ref>

The only named character in Cinthio's story is "Desdemona".<!--this is the correct spelling for Cinthio's version--> Other characters are identified only as the Moor, the squadron leader, the ensign, and the ensign's wife – the original of Shakespeare's Emilia.<ref name="4trag" /> There's no mention in the source of the ensign's wife being Desdemona's attendant.

In Cinthio, the ensign's wife accompanies her husband to Cyprus. She is described as "a beautiful and virtuous young woman" who, "being of Italian birth,...was much loved by the Moor's wife, who spent the greater part of the day with her." The ensign, "not heeding at all the vows he had made his wife", lusts after Desdemona who, very much in love with the Moor, is oblivious to the ensign's passion.<ref name="bev">Bevington, David and Kate. ''Hecatommithi: Third Decade, Seventh Novella'' from ''Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth''. Bantam Books, 1988.</ref>

In Cinthio, the ensign filches Desdemona's [[handkerchief]] when she visits his house and hugs his three-year-old daughter. It is presumed his wife is present since Cinthio makes clear earlier in the tale that Desdemona often spent part of the day with the ensign's wife. However, his wife takes no part in the mischief.

The next appearance of the ensign's wife in the tale occurs when Desdemona discusses her husband's troubling behaviour with her. Here, Cinthio makes clear the ensign's wife is aware of her husband's plotting, but remains silent in fear of him. She advises Desdemona not to give the Moor any cause for suspicion and to assure him of her love and loyalty. The last mention of the ensign's wife is in the final sentence of the tale when, long after Desdemona's murder and once her husband is dead, she reveals what she knows of the past.


==Role in ''Othello''==
==Role in ''Othello''==
[[File:Othello (Ludovico Marchetti) 04.jpg|400px|thumb|Drawing by Ludovico Marchetti]]
[[File:Othello (Ludovico Marchetti) 04.jpg|400px|thumb|Drawing by [[Ludovico Marchetti]]]]
Emilia first appears on stage in 2.1 when she arrives in Cyprus with Iago, Desdemona, and [[Roderigo]]. Iago resolves that Emilia should "move for Cassio to her mistress" at the end of 2.3.<ref name="4trag">Shakespeare, William. ''Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth''. Bantam Books, 1988.</ref>
Though Emilia is mentioned in 1.3 when Othello asks Iago to allow his wife to accompany Desdemona to Cyprus as her attendant, the character first appears on stage in 2.1 when she disembarks in Cyprus with Iago, Desdemona, and [[Roderigo]]. She banters briefly with her companions before leaving the stage, presumabably in Desdemona's entourage. Though not specifically mentioned, she probably appears as Desdemona's attendant at the beginning of 2.3, then exits and reappears after the brawl which disgraces [[Michael Cassio|Cassio]]. At the end of the scene, Iago is alone and plots to have Emilia "move for Cassio to her mistress".

⚫
In 3.1, Cassio asks Emilia, "Give me advantage of some brief discourse with Desdemona alone." and Emilia allows him to enter. In 3.3, Emilia is present when Desdemona and Cassio confer, and present again when Desdemona urges Othello to receive the lieutenant. In the same scene, Emilia finds Desdemona's handkerchief, but, she hands it over to Iago as he had been urging her to steal it. He takes it and forbids her from mentioning its whereabouts. In 3.4, when questioned by Desdemona about the handkerchief, Emilia denies any knowledge of it. After Othello rages over the loss of the handkerchief, Emilia attempts to comfort Desdemona. In 4.2 when questioned by Othello, she firmly states Desdemona's innocence. In 4.3 she later discusses with Desdemona their differing views on marriage and fidelity. Emilia states she would commit adultery if it gained her husband the world and also asserts that husbands are to blame, arguing for equality and mutual respect in marriage. She briefly appears in 5.1 where she verbally abuses [[Bianca (Othello)|Bianca]] after hearing of her supposed involvement in Cassio's attack. In 5.2 she informs Othello of Roderigo's death and the attempted murder of Cassio. She calls for help and Iago, Montano and Gratiano appear. Emilia having heard from Othello that Iago told him of Desdemona "cheating" on him with Cassio, accuses him of gross dishonesty leading to an unjust murder. When she hears about the handkerchief, she reveals her role and Iago threatens and then kills her at the first opportunity. She then dies speaking of Desdemona's purity, lying alongside her mistress.

==Analysis==
Emilia is a comparatively minor character for much of the play; however, she serves to provide a strong contrast to the romantic and obedient Desdemona, demonstrating that she is both intelligent and distinctly cynical, especially on matters relating to men and marriage – her speech to Desdemona listing the faults and flaws of the male sex in 4.3 is a good example of this (though she does admit that women also have "frailty, as men have"). She also states in the same scene that she would be willing to commit adultery for a sufficiently high price – this shows her cynical and worldly nature in sharp contrast to Desdemona, who seems almost unable to believe that any woman could contemplate such an act.


In 3.1, Cassio asks Emilia to allow him to privately confer with Desdemona, which she does. She finds Desdemona's handkerchief in 3.1 and gives it to Iago, who swears her to secrecy. Despite her involvement in the handkerchief's disappearance, she comforts Desdemona when Othello becomes enraged after discovering that it is missing in 3.4.<ref name="4trag"/>
Throughout the play, Iago uses Emilia's close friendship with Desdemona to gain access to her and, in particular, asks her to steal Desdemona's handkerchief, which he subsequently drops in Cassio's house and later uses this as evidence to convince Othello that Cassio has been with Desdemona. Emilia does not agree to steal the handkerchief for Iago. Iago snatches it from her and all she can do is ask about what he'll do with it (III.iii.310–320). Iago is the one who drops the handkerchief in Cassio's chamber. (III.iii.321–322). Later Emilia even lies to Desdemona, saying she doesn't know where it is; it is clear she feels a "divided duty" in this matter between her friend and her husband. She is, however, entirely ignorant of Iago's plans until the very end of the play.


⚫
In 4.2 when questioned by Othello, she firmly states Desdemona's innocence. In 4.3 she later discusses with Desdemona their differing views on marriage and fidelity. Emilia states she would commit adultery if it gained her husband the world and also asserts that husbands are to blame, arguing for equality and mutual respect in marriage. She briefly appears in 5.1 where she verbally abuses [[Bianca (Othello)|Bianca]] after hearing of her supposed involvement in Cassio's attack. In 5.2 she informs Othello of Roderigo's death and the attempted murder of Cassio. She calls for help and Iago, Montano and Gratiano appear. Emilia having heard from Othello that Iago told him of Desdemona "cheating" on him with Cassio, accuses him of gross dishonesty leading to an unjust murder. When she hears about the handkerchief, she reveals her role and Iago threatens and then kills her at the first opportunity. She then dies singing Desdemona's song and speaking of her purity and love for Othello, lying alongside her mistress.<ref name="4trag"/>
Iago states on two separate occasions during the play that he suspects Emilia of infidelity with both Othello and Cassio, and this is sometimes suggested as a possible motive for his actions; however, there is little if any evidence within the play to suggest that his suspicions have any basis in reality.


==Critical Reception==
After Desdemona's murder, Emilia first challenges Othello, disregarding his threats towards her, and then, after learning that her own husband instigated the murder, denounces his actions and reveals her own part in finding the handkerchief and passing it on (V.ii.230–231); for this she is stabbed by her husband and dies during the final act.
There is debate among critics as to Emilia's character nature in ''Othello'', with some deeming her a villain and some as the true hero of the play. This is because her allegiances initially seem to lie with her husband, and she displays the typical “wifely virtues of silence, obedience, and prudence"<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Novy |first=Marianne |date=1987 |title=Review of Broken Nuptials in Shakespeare's Plays |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44368326 |journal=Journal of Ritual Studies |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=145–147 |issn=0890-1112}}</ref> of the Elizabethan period (as seen in her theft of the handkerchief in 3.1). Some, such as Bradley, see her as an innately good character who strives for the truth. Yet later she seems more outspoken and appears to maintain a more progressive, even modern feminist view on Elizabethan attitudes towards marriage, as seen in her speech in 4.3. This has caused different critical interpretations, with some critics viewing her as a backstabber who does not care for Desdemona, with similar deceptive qualities to Iago, whilst others see her as a victim of society and a strong female character in her own right.


==Emilia on film==
==Emilia on film==
In Orson Welles' troubled but critically acclaimed 1952 film ''[[Othello (1952 film)|Othello]]'', [[Fay Compton]] played Emilia opposite [[Micheál MacLiammóir]]'s Iago. In a [[Othello (1965 British film)|1965 film]], [[Joyce Redman]] portrayed Emilia with [[Laurence Olivier]] as Othello, [[Maggie Smith]] as Desdemona, and [[Frank Finlay]] as Iago. All four performers received [[Academy Award]] nominations. [[Anna Patrick]] played Emilia in the [[Othello (1995 film)|1995 film]] with [[Laurence Fishburne]] as Othello and [[Kenneth Branagh]] as Iago. Emilia, renamed Emily, was portrayed by [[Rain Phoenix]] in the modernized-adaptation "[[O (film)|O]]". In the critically acclaimed [[Vishal Bhardwaj]]'s version of Othello, [[Omkara (2006 film)|Omkara]], the character of Emilia was portrayed by [[Konkona Sen Sharma]], earning her the [[Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award]] as well as the [[National Award for Best Supporting Actress]]
Emilia was portrayed by [[Fay Compton]] in [[Orson Welles]]' ''[[Othello (1952 film)|Othello]]'', released in 1952, by [[Joyce Redman]] in [[Stuart Burge|Stuart Burge's]] [[Othello (1965 British film)|1965 film]], and by Anna Patrick in [[Oliver Parker|Oliver Parker's]] [[Othello (1995 film)|1995 film]]. Emilia, renamed Emily, was portrayed by [[Rain Phoenix]] in the modernized-adaptation "[[O (film)|O]]". In the critically acclaimed [[Vishal Bhardwaj]]'s version of Othello, [[Omkara (2006 film)|Omkara]], the character of Indu which was similar to Emilia was portrayed by [[Konkona Sen Sharma]], earning her the [[Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award]] as well as the National Award for Best Supporting Actress


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
{{Othello}}
{{Othello}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Fictional characters introduced in 1603]]
[[Category:Literary characters introduced in 1603]]
[[Category:Fictional Italian people in literature]]
[[Category:Fictional Italian people in literature]]
[[Category:Female Shakespearean characters]]
[[Category:Female Shakespearean characters]]
[[Category:Othello]]
[[Category:Othello]]
[[Category:Uxoricide in fiction]]
[[Category:Fiction about uxoricide]]
[[Category:Fictional victims of domestic abuse]]

Latest revision as of 22:52, 29 November 2023

Emilia
Othello character
Desdemona's Death Song by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Created byWilliam Shakespeare
In-universe information
SpouseIago

Emilia is a character in the tragedy Othello by William Shakespeare. She is married to Othello's ensign Iago, and is a maidservant to Othello's wife, Desdemona.

Role in Othello

[edit]
Drawing by Ludovico Marchetti

Emilia first appears on stage in 2.1 when she arrives in Cyprus with Iago, Desdemona, and Roderigo. Iago resolves that Emilia should "move for Cassio to her mistress" at the end of 2.3.[1]

In 3.1, Cassio asks Emilia to allow him to privately confer with Desdemona, which she does. She finds Desdemona's handkerchief in 3.1 and gives it to Iago, who swears her to secrecy. Despite her involvement in the handkerchief's disappearance, she comforts Desdemona when Othello becomes enraged after discovering that it is missing in 3.4.[1]

In 4.2 when questioned by Othello, she firmly states Desdemona's innocence. In 4.3 she later discusses with Desdemona their differing views on marriage and fidelity. Emilia states she would commit adultery if it gained her husband the world and also asserts that husbands are to blame, arguing for equality and mutual respect in marriage. She briefly appears in 5.1 where she verbally abuses Bianca after hearing of her supposed involvement in Cassio's attack. In 5.2 she informs Othello of Roderigo's death and the attempted murder of Cassio. She calls for help and Iago, Montano and Gratiano appear. Emilia having heard from Othello that Iago told him of Desdemona "cheating" on him with Cassio, accuses him of gross dishonesty leading to an unjust murder. When she hears about the handkerchief, she reveals her role and Iago threatens and then kills her at the first opportunity. She then dies singing Desdemona's song and speaking of her purity and love for Othello, lying alongside her mistress.[1]

Critical Reception

[edit]

There is debate among critics as to Emilia's character nature in Othello, with some deeming her a villain and some as the true hero of the play. This is because her allegiances initially seem to lie with her husband, and she displays the typical “wifely virtues of silence, obedience, and prudence"[2] of the Elizabethan period (as seen in her theft of the handkerchief in 3.1). Some, such as Bradley, see her as an innately good character who strives for the truth. Yet later she seems more outspoken and appears to maintain a more progressive, even modern feminist view on Elizabethan attitudes towards marriage, as seen in her speech in 4.3. This has caused different critical interpretations, with some critics viewing her as a backstabber who does not care for Desdemona, with similar deceptive qualities to Iago, whilst others see her as a victim of society and a strong female character in her own right.

Emilia on film

[edit]

Emilia was portrayed by Fay Compton in Orson Welles' Othello, released in 1952, by Joyce Redman in Stuart Burge's 1965 film, and by Anna Patrick in Oliver Parker's 1995 film. Emilia, renamed Emily, was portrayed by Rain Phoenix in the modernized-adaptation "O". In the critically acclaimed Vishal Bhardwaj's version of Othello, Omkara, the character of Indu which was similar to Emilia was portrayed by Konkona Sen Sharma, earning her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award as well as the National Award for Best Supporting Actress

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Shakespeare, William. Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. Bantam Books, 1988.
  2. ^ Novy, Marianne (1987). "Review of Broken Nuptials in Shakespeare's Plays". Journal of Ritual Studies. 1 (1): 145–147. ISSN 0890-1112.
[edit]
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