For decades the world has been ruled by social stigmas and gender inequality. Today women and men continue to be weighed differently, and it seems as if the scales will eternally be imbalanced. Women who defy their expected image are still highlighted as man-like. This play was set when gender inequality was especially prominent and speaking up against a man had ill-fated consequences. In William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Othello, although Emilia wants to stay faithful to her husband the truth about his actions forces her to overcome social conventions and challenge her villainous husband Iago and the weak-willed Othello, thus illustrating the unfair privileges men hold over women and how they can be destroyed by moral-righteousness. Emilia’s
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As expected Emilia’s husband attempts to quiet his wife, and awaits an obedient response. Instead Emilia refuses to “charm her tongue” because her “mistress here lies murder’d in her bed” (5.2.184-186). As Emilia stands up to her husband she actively begins to restore the moral imbalance that was present before. She sacrifices her own standing in order to defend her friend, thus uniting women against men. Emilia continues to yell, but instead of seeing Emilia as righteous, Iago simply qualifies her as a weak, emotional woman. Emilia claims, “Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, All, all, cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak” (5.2.221-23). She grows more powerful in her language as the scene progresses, unleashing the pent up emotions she has towards the oppressions she feels from men. Emilia displays humanism by breaking free of the natural role she has in society in order to defend a woman. The truth is, nobody is born a hero. Hard choices lead humans to evolve into either villains or example citizens. Because Emilia’s choices are truthfully made from the heart, she is able to achieve true salvation. Shakespeare speaks out about his own opinion on the oppression women face, making him perhaps a visionary regarding gender equality. Although Emilia dies in the end, Shakespeare makes an
As expected Emilia’s husband attempts to quiet his wife, and awaits an obedient response. Instead Emilia refuses to “charm her tongue” because her “mistress here lies murder’d in her bed” (5.2.184-186). As Emilia stands up to her husband she actively begins to restore the moral imbalance that was present before. She sacrifices her own standing in order to defend her friend, thus uniting women against men. Emilia continues to yell, but instead of seeing Emilia as righteous, Iago simply qualifies her as a weak, emotional woman. Emilia claims, “Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, All, all, cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak” (5.2.221-23). She grows more powerful in her language as the scene progresses, unleashing the pent up emotions she has towards the oppressions she feels from men. Emilia displays humanism by breaking free of the natural role she has in society in order to defend a woman. The truth is, nobody is born a hero. Hard choices lead humans to evolve into either villains or example citizens. Because Emilia’s choices are truthfully made from the heart, she is able to achieve true salvation. Shakespeare speaks out about his own opinion on the oppression women face, making him perhaps a visionary regarding gender equality. Although Emilia dies in the end, Shakespeare makes an