An Analysis of 'Othello'

Hello, welcome back to my blog! In the final term of my junior year, I have been taking a class called Healthy Relationships In Shakespeare. In this class, We are reading multiple Shakespearean plays and analyzing the relationships within them. Overall, I really enjoy this class. It is interesting to read more plays and get a fuller experience by analyzing them. For this project, we read the play Othello, and were asked to decide weather or not they had a healthy relationship. I chose to analyze the relationship between Emilia and Iago, two characters in this play. I hope you enjoy!


‘Othello’ summary:

The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice or Othello, is a Shakespearean play written in 1603, set in Renaissance Venice and the Republic of Cyprus. In the height of the Ottoman–Venetian War, a Chrisitan Moor and general of the armies of Venice, Othello, is requested to Cyprus to defend his country. Before being informed of this request, he is married to Desdemona, daughter of the Venetian Senator Barbantio without his knowledge. Furious, Barbantio brings this to the attention of the Duke of Venice. The Duke then decides to hear directly from Othello and Desdemona, thinking that she could have somehow been coerced into this marriage. When Othello and Desdomona appear before the Duke, they convince him that they were in fact married out of love. The Duke then informs Othello that his presence is needed in Cyprus, at which point Desdemona begs the Duke to allow her to travel with her husband. Granting this request, we now have a good understanding of the majority of the characters and sets up the rest of the storyline.

From this point in the play, we are introduced to Iago, a mischievous and deceitful man, often referred to as “honest Iago”. With his role throughout the play, as the antagonist, he orchestrates fabricated interactions to give those involved false impressions for his own entertainment and revenge against Othello out of jealousy.

Emillia, Iago's wife and Desdemona’s maid, is a strong willed woman who uses her intuition. She understands her wifely duties, expectations women were to follow in this time period. She has a strong loyalty to Desdemona as her friend and in the end believes the best in her.

Cassio is a lieutenant to Othello. He is a good, loyal man with charismatic and charming qualities. He is put in the unfortunate position as the subject of Othello’s jealousy, once the false seed is planted by Iago that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair.

This story follows Othello and Desdemona’s relationship as newlyweds and the fragility of it once Iago tells Othello he suspects an affair between Desdemona and Cassio. A series of events unfold and eventually Othello truly believes Dedemona is committing infidelity. Out of rage towards Desdemona, he smothers her until she dies. Emilia, discovers the death of Desdemona, then calls the soldiers to arrest Othello. In all of the confusion and frenzie of the situation, Emila discovers the extent of Iago’s manipulation and unveils it to the rest of the crowd. Iago, out of anger and to get her to stop speaking, kills Emilia. After a brief duel between Othello and Iago, Othello takes his own life out of resentment.

The main themes within this play include racial prejudice, jealousy and manipulation. It is a cautionary tale that encourages self reflection and mercy towards those who might cause one to jump to conclusions about.


Analysis of the relationship between Emilia and Iago.

Emilia and Iago, two supporting characters in this play. A marriage, anyone viewing can agree is objectively unhealthy. We see them interact rarely in this play, but from those interactions, we see insightful hints as to what their relationship is like.


Trust, communication, commitment, respect, and support. Five characteristics of a good relationship. These five characteristics are lacking in the relationship between Emilia and Iago. In traditional wedding vows, you are to honor, love, and cherish each other, through sickness and in health, for better or worse. It is clear that Emilia and Iago do not uphold these values and therefore do not have a healthy relationship.


Act 3, scene 3. While Iago is scheming, he asks Emilia to retrieve a handkerchief as part of his plan. Emilia does what is requested of her and in response to her actions, Iago calls her a wench, a word in old english meaning prostitute. This act can show some hint of commitment because of Emilia doing what Iago asks, however Iago’s response does not exhibit respect.

Iago. “A good wench; give it me.”

Emilia. “What will you do with 't, that you have been

so earnest

To have me filch it?”

Iago. [Snatching it] “Why, what's that to you?”

Emilia. “If it be not for some purpose of import,

Give't me again: poor lady, she'll run mad

When she shall lack it.”



Act 4, scene 4. Desdemona and Emilia have a conversation regarding Othello’s satisfaction on Desdemona’s innocence, when it comes to the accusation of her having an affair. We see Desdemona distraught and confused as to why Othello would be accusing her of infidelity, when Emilia speaks of jealousy. Emilia believes that Desdemona will not be able to regain Othello’s trust again. In this instance, I believe that she is speaking from her own experience with her own relationship with Iago. It is clear that neither Iago or Emilia trust one another.

Desdemona. “Alas the day! I never gave him cause.”

Emilia. “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

Begot upon itself, born on itself.”




Act 5, scene 2. Desdemona has just died, at the hands of Othello and Emilia finds out and alerts the rest of the castle. Emilia discovers it was Iago’s scheme that led to Desdemona’s death and tries to let everyone else understand this. In her attempt, Iago murders his wife to silence her. I have to say, that does not seem like commitment to me. We also see in this interaction that Emilia decides to stop supporting her husband in his endeavors.


Iago. “Villainous whore!”

Emilia. “She give it Cassio! no, alas! I found it,

And I did give't my husband”

Iago. “Filth, thou liest!”

Emilia. “By heaven, I do not, I do not, gentlemen.

O murderous coxcomb! what should such a fool

Do with so good a woman?”

Othello. “Are there no stones in heaven

But what serve for the thunder?—Precious villain!”

[He runs at IAGO IAGO, from behind, stabs EMILIA, and exit]

Of the five characteristics listed earlier of what makes a healthy relationship, trust, communication, commitment, respect, and support. Emilia and Iago’s relationship would not fall into any of these categories. They do not have a healthy relationship. 

 

Works cited:

Shakespeare, William. Othello (No Fear Shakespeare). Spark, 2018. 

“Speeches (Lines) for Emiliain ‘Othello’ Total: 103.” All Speeches (Lines) and Cues for Emilia in "Othello" :|: Open Source Shakespeare , https://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/characters/charlines.php?CharID=emilia&WorkID=othello&cues=1.