Foil Characters In Othello

Lastly the audience knows that dramatic irony made up most of Desdemona’s life. If Iago didn’t set her up then she would still be happily married but Emilia found out about her innocence too late. In Act IV Scene III, Desdemona said “Heaven me such oases send, not to pick bad from bad but by bad mend” (Act IV Scene III 99-100). Emilia tried to tell the guards about her friend’s innocence but Iago killed her before she could do

When one sacrifices their independence and sense of self-worth in order to appease another, they quickly lose sight of their true self and original intentions. This idea is thoroughly explored in William Shakespeare’s “Othello” as Desdemona, an upper class member of Venetian society, deliberately surrenders her freedoms and independence as an individual after marrying Othello, a Moor general of the Venetian Army. While Desdemona and Othello maintain a respectful and equal relationship at the beginning of the play, Othello soon begins to treat Desdemona in a cold-hearted and vindictive manner. Desdemona’s value of the institution of marriage above her own personal well-being leads her to sacrifice her once strong held values of independence,

Desdemona- Desdemona is Othello 's wife and her goal is to prove to Othello that she loves him. They make a sacrifice by eloping without her father knowing. She stays faithful to Othello the entire time despite his suspicion raised by Iago. She spends the entire time wondering why he 's being this way towards her and trying to steer his judgement in the other direction with the help of Emilia. This is to no prevail because she becomes the victim in the end due to the actions of Iago. She serves as a foil to Emilia because their ideals contrast each other. Desdemona has a naïveté to her that prevents her from even believing that wives cheat on their husbands while Emilia is sure of it and even believes the blame falls on the husband for the actions of the wife.

The outspoken Desdemona is now a reserved housewife; and the reserved Emilia is now the outspoken confidant that Desdemona relies on. She believes that her friend does not deserve the treatment that has been served to her; so she speaks out on her problems reversing the roles placed on them both. As Desdemona begins to settle into the housewife settings, she calls upon Iago and Emilia recalls most of the event to her husband herself. Throughout the conversation, she even brings up something she was too afraid to do so earlier: Iago’s accusations that “made you to suspect me with the Moor.”(IV.ii.173). Emilia has completely changed to a woman with an unfiltered speech; through the heat she gained from her anger at Othello for hurting her friend mentally and physically, she accounted some of her own relationship problems.

This sets up the overall image of women throughout the play as human beings that can’t be trusted, sexual creatures meant for men’s pleasure. Iago plays off of this warning to Othello, feeding him lies about Desdemona. During the time period men held the power so even when Desdemona was being truthful Othello still allowed for the lies of Iago to be represented as truth. Iago toys with his wife, Emilia, throughout the play only treating her respectfully once she gives him the items that he request of her. The women within the play are the only honest and neutral minded characters.

Othello asks Emilia if she has ever heard Desdemona tell Cassio anything or if she has whispered to him. He specifically asks Emilia because she has been there every time that Cassio and Desdemona have talked. Emilia says that if anyone has tried to convince Othello that Desdemona has done wrong then that person should be cursed. It is ironic because Iago, Emilia’s husband, has been convincing Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Emilia is unaware of the fact that her own husband is creating problems between Othello and Desdemona. The reader might wonder what Emilia would do if she found out that Iago was the person that was influencing Othello. The reader also has sympathy for Desdemona because she is kind hearted and loyal, but she is mistreated for acts she did not take part

Desdemona is a beautiful woman and men often rave about her, often referring with pleasantries such as “gentle Desdemona”(I. II. 25). She is married to the respected Othello who always talks positively about her. This on its own could be credited to Desdemona being a good person and compliant to Othello's wishes, being “fully subordinate”, but there is also Emilia. Emilia is smart, brave, and loyal, her loyalty mainly being directed towards Desdemona, and is also the wife of ‘honest’ Iago. Iago often speaks crudely of women and puts Emilia down,”you

They are all but stomachs, and we are all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, they belch us." (3.4.98-101). Emilia is very outspoken about her opinions on the issue of equality for women during her time. As well as the injustice that Desdemona endured. Desdemona had a lot of obedience’s towards Othello showing the effects of a forced determination to please her spouse, even though it led to her death. In the quote Emilia shows how strong she is when she told Desdemona that it does not take a long time to find out what men are really like. She depicts the idea that men think alike, they believe that women she be all innocence, pure, and only there for there own desire. These stereotypes have a big role to the male characters because it goes against society. Furthermore, Desdemona has an impowering role showing her innocence and pureness. Desdemona stereotype depicts her when she does anything for Othello or does anything he says. Othello orders Desdemona to go to bed and she replied with “I will my lord” (4.3.10). Desdemona has challenged the stereotype of being naïve and weak. Also, Desdemona has challenged these stereotypes because she does not take kindly to the accusations about her

Mainly talking about sexuality, Desdemona is thought to be in love with her husband just due to her passionate, lustful feeling towards Othello, or this is one half of what Iago makes Othello believe. Therefore, it is not only that Othello believes that Desdemona is being unfaithful, but that she is also a sinner and a source of temptation for himself, so she is a threaten to his soul. The problem with Desdemona is that she internalizes the Residual and Dominant discourses about women. She opens the play by disobeying her father, and in the end she has fear of Othello. Emilia, meanwhile, is the representation of the Emergent discourse about women, and she will develop this idea throughout the play.

Desdemona, in the third act of the play, declares herself that, “I am obedient,” and continues to obey Othello from the beginning happy stages of their romance to the jealousy filled end (III.3.89). Despite the fact that Desdemona is presented with intense marital stress her thoughts never cross to another man (Kermode). When Othello unfairly and harshly orders Desdemona to go to her chamber, she still replies with the submissive, “I will, my lord” (IV.3.9). Even in her final moments, she stays obedient and loyal to her husband when she provides him with an alibi. Early on it is clear that Desdemona has accepted her role as a submissive obedient wife, the only acceptable kind in Elizabethan

Looking at the play, all along Desdemona is a very feminine character. She most likely acts like a wife and daughter. So full of cares, Desdemona at a point of the play even neglected her house quarrels and goes out to spare fellings with Cassio to try to help with his situations with Othello. So faithful she was, even when she and Othello were not on the best terms, she was still trying to fixed everything even she knows that she was not cheating, which she explains, " Yes, faith, so humbled that he hath left parts of his grief with me to suffer with him. Good love call him

She utilizes her dialect to challenge the apprehension of death: "I administer to thy sword;" As Emilia's outrage raises her dialect turns out to be immediate and coarse: "He called her a prostitute;" Emilia feels no humiliation in claiming "prostitute" which Desdemona shrivels from

Instead of putting the blame on Othello, she says that she did it to herself and tells Emilia to give her undying love to Othello. In sixteenth century Italy, it was expected of women to give their husbands unconditional support, but for Desdemona’s case it is more than just a conditioned mindset. She could have easily said her

ACT 4 SCENE 3 - Emilia notes that Othello looked to be in better spirits, but she's shocked that he told Desdemona to get rid of her. Desdemona just shrugs it off—she can't risk upsetting Othello now. Emilia says she wishes Desdemona had never seen the man. But Desdemona responds that she loves Othello, so much that she would rather be with him, even when he's being totally strange, than live without him.

He also believes that each partner should have the ability to live independents lives. Shakespeare portrays this by Othello giving Desdemona more freedom in their marriage. Desdemona still belongs to Othello but Othello gives Desdemona more respect than any other man. Finally, at the end of the play a true and clear act of feminism is proclaimed. Emilia speaks out against the men, particularly Othello. Othello has killed his wife, and not in good fashion. Desdemona was loyal to Othello, though Othello’s mind has been corrupted by Iago’s manipulation which leads to the death of Desdemona. Upon realization of Desdemona’s death Emilia forgets every law, order and code of the Elizabethan time. Emilia cries out, “Murder! Murder!” and points the finger to Othello. Emilia says, “But I do think it is their husbands’ faults If wives do fall. Say that they slack their duties, And pour our treasures into foreign laps; Or else break out in peevish jealousies, Throwing restraint upon us. Or say they strike us, Or scant our former having in despite.” (4.3.87-92) The final feminist act portrayed is clear. Emilia begins to point the finger at the men. The entire play