ipl-logo

Iago And Othello's Relationship Analysis

702 Words3 Pages

The best way to analyze Iago and Emilia’s relationship is too first look at each of the characters separately, and what Shakespeare chose to develop through their relationship. With Emilia, Shakespeare used the relationship to develop her loyal and trusting nature. By showing her listening to Iago (stealing the handkerchief (3.3.336-337)) and believe the best in him (when she thinks Iago feels guilty for Cassio (3.3.3-4), it demonstrates how much capacity she has to be loyal, but only when she believes it is deserved. Furthermore, by showing this capability, Shakespeare sets Emilia up for her death scene. After learning that Iago broke her trust, and is no longer deserving of her loyalty, she chooses to stand up for herself and Desdemona against Iago and Othello; showing her …show more content…

When Emilia makes her first appearance in the play, she is very quiet, she listens to Iago, and only speaks a few lines -- all a sentence or less, showing that Iago has control over most of her actions. This is also at a point when Iago has or will have basically every other character wrapped around his finger: Cassio gets drunk, Roderigo attacks Cassio, Othello begins to suspect Desdemona, etc.. But as the play continues, Emilia begins to speak for longer periods of time, voice more of her opinions, and stand up for herself towards Iago, until the very last act of the play when she defies Iago and speaks the truth about his misdeeds (5.2.227-230). Iago’s loss of control over Emilia parallels his loss of control over all the lies and acts he had put on towards the other characters. They finally find out that Iago was the cause of turmoil in Cyprus, and Emilia completely breaks from Iago’s control to defend Desdemona and ultimately name him the villain. Therefore, Iago completely loses control of both his wife, and of his entire plot against

Show More
Related

  • Internal Conflict In A Painted House

    796 Words  | 4 Pages

    Iago then has Emilia, his wife, get Othello’s mother’s handkerchief and plants in Cassio’s room, then warns Othello to watch out for Cassio and Desdemona. Iago then sent Cassio to ask Desdemona and for his job back. Othello then suspects his wife of cheating. When she comes to him soon later vouching for him to give Cassio his job

    Read More

  • True Friendship In Othello

    876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Speaking of which, Iago only becomes Othello 's lieutenant solely due to the suspicion he plants in Othello 's mind, proving how even this friendship isn 't pure. Iago is at the center of all relationships pulling the strings. Moreover, the truth between Emilia and Iago 's so-called matrimony is seen as Emilia confides in Desdemona about men, "They [men] are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us" (3.4 121-123). Not only does this explain the root of the men 's wants in amorous relationships, but it demonstrates the true intentions of all the men in the play in relation to the women in the play. Although Othello does not have any examples of friendship, one must make affirm that life is filled with people unlike the characters in

    Read More

  • Iago And Marxist Criticism In Shakespeare's Othello

    992 Words  | 4 Pages

    In this quote Iago’s choice of words shows how he sees her, as his possession. This is why Marxist criticism is the criticism that best describes Iago, he is the true definition of a Marxist character. He likes that sense of power that he has over her and their marriage. Iago doesn’t care about the relationship that he and Emilia have but he cares about what come with the thought of marriage. Typically in a marriage the man is who pays the bills, runs the household, and makes the wife stay home.

    Read More

  • Othello Passage Analysis

    923 Words  | 4 Pages

    The following passage is significant to the play ‘Othello’ in retrospect to the plot progression, as it reiterates themes and introduces important facets to the plot development. Through Iago’s cunning manipulation and Shakespeare’s crafting of language, this passage is constructed as a pivotal point of the play, marking the transition of Othello’s personality and revealing his deepest insecurities that eventually lead to his downfall and tragic ending. Iago wields a lot of power over all the characters throughout the play, but in this passage in particular he is presented at his most powerful. The passage is riddled with subtle suggestions and insinuations by Iago to raise Othello’s suspicions of his wife’s fidelity, opening with the admonition to “beware, my lord, of jealousy!

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Essay

    718 Words  | 3 Pages

    From his play, Othello, the character Emilia represents his skill well. Women in Shakespearean times were, for the most part, treated inferior to men. Emilia presented a women who followed society’s rules and submitted to her abusive husband. Not only was Emilia treated poorly by her husband, but also had a lot of secrets to keep from some of the people she was becoming very close with. Throughout the play she gains the courage to tell the truth, in Act V Scene ii Emilia reveals the truth about all of Iago’s villainous actions knowing that it could cost her her life, and it does.

    Read More

  • Growth Mindset Quotes In Othello

    879 Words  | 4 Pages

    He tells him that she is having an affair with Cassio so that she is having intercourse with Othello. Iago shows signs of fixed mindset. His mind is fixed on getting revenge on Othello so he comes up with a “evil” plan to destroy Othello’s life. Iago is motivated by hate because he didn't move on from the thought that Othello is doing wrong by Desdemona. “ I hate the moor” ( Act 1 Scene 1 Line 171-174) .

    Read More

  • Thesis Statement For Othello

    494 Words  | 2 Pages

    Emilia was also involved in the problem which ended her life in a matter of minutes. Once Iago had no other than to confess Othello finally realized what a big of a mistake he had committed. He as well decides to end his life by stabbing himself. Othello, being one of the main characters in ‘Othello’, had been tricked and deceived by Iago, Emilia’s husband.

    Read More

  • How Othello's Character Changes

    844 Words  | 4 Pages

    Othello starts to believe Iago’s lies about his friends and wife, leading Othello to change his behavior towards his closest allies. Iago instigates a fight between Cassio and Montano, and Othello must take charge of his soldiers, he says: Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee But never more be officer of mine. (2.3.210-213) Othello makes the decision to fire Cassio, and things get worse when Iago makes his wife, Emilia, steal Desdemona 's handkerchief.

    Read More

  • Iago's Psychopaths In Othello

    757 Words  | 4 Pages

    His detachment towards the characters then drives him to do sinister deeds on to them, ultimately causing his downfall. Emilia, Iago’s own wife is another character to which he is detached from. In Act Five, scene two, Iago kills his wife for telling

    Read More

  • Betrayal In Othello

    1477 Words  | 6 Pages

    He ends up uses all the money Rodrigo gave him, for himself. Not only that, but Iago ends up killing Roderigo, he says, “if Roderigo lives, he’ll expect me to give back all the gold and jewels I swindled him out of as gifts to Desdemona, that must not happen.” Iago stabs Roderigo, and puts all the charges on him. Emilia is Iago’s wife as well as Desdemona’s maid, he lacks attention and sympathy towards her. It is very obvious that he does not care about her.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Manipulation In Othello

    944 Words  | 4 Pages

    Using the character of Roderigo, Iago manipulates him into doing everything he wants. At the beginning of the tragedy, Iago and Roderigo are talking poorly about Othello. Roderigo, who is in love with Desdemona, is upset due to hearing that Othello and Desdemona have recently married. Iago, who just found out Othello did not give him

    Read More

  • Masculinity In Othello

    1010 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout the play we observe Emilia’s character change, and how she suffered the consequence of challenging the system. Shakespeare’s Othello, utilises a range of dramatic techniques to showcase how women where portrayed during early modern England, as tools, chaste and naive. The antagonist, Iago takes this to advantage to manipulate his wife to unintentionally take a part in the moral dissembling of Othello. The idea where women were being victimised is presented when Iago utilises his power and authority to

    Read More

  • Male-Female Relationships In Othello

    1025 Words  | 5 Pages

    Considering Iago and Emilia, their relationship are forced and detached. They lack mutual devotion towards each other, and the love seem one sided. lago treats Emilia as a tool and only approaches her when he can make use of her. He shows his inability of desiring or loving her by constantly mocking, affronting and neglecting Emila. However, she seems to love lago kindly with a passionate devotion, thus she is desperate to gratify him and accommodate his wishes.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Comradery In Othello

    500 Words  | 2 Pages

    While certainly not the only change in both the relationship and dialogue between Othello and Iago, the largest factor that is at play here is Iago’s more malevolent way in which asks seemingly inconspicuous questions. After Emilia and Desdemona have left, Iago asks a simple question, “Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady, Know of your love?” (3.3.105) to which Othello replies that he did and asks why Iago thought of such a thing (3.3.107). From then until line 121 Iago avoids and dodges Othello’s questioning, which cleverly riles Othello up without Iago having to explicitly state anything at all. And even when Iago speaks directly, it takes the guise of flattery and faux loyalty to mask his true intentions well.

    Read More

  • Iago's Influence On Othello

    436 Words  | 2 Pages

    Iago is a unique and complicated character. He is intelligent in that he is able to manipulate people and events in his favour, which he thrives on throughout the play, classifying him as the antagonist of the play. Driven by jealousy and hatred, Iago plots against Othello to destroy his character and reputation. Knowing that if he foolishly attacked such a respected man directly, he would be sentenced to death. As a result, he devises to use other people to obtain what he desires by influencing the characters in the play to suit his plan.

    Read More

More about Iago And Othello's Relationship Analysis

Open Document