Emilia: The Loyal Heroine At first appearance, Othello seems to be about disloyalty and betrayal between the main characters in Venice and Cyprus. Even though there is much of this, one character, the lady-in-waiting of Desdemona, shows the exact opposite by showing honest love and respect through her actions toward Desdemona. Emilia stays true to Desdemona from the beginning of the play until the very end. Some may argue that when she gives the handkerchief to Iago instead of Desdemona that was a sign of disloyalty. However, this was only proof of her divided loyalties, but in the end, she gives all her loyalty to Desdemona. Some may think the play has nothing to do with Emilia, but if you take a deeper look she is the only true heroine
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Emilia defends Desdemona's reputation and will not accept the insult from Othello towards her mistress. She knows the statement by Othello is false and will not let anyone give excuses for it. When Othello claims that she is false, Emilia immediately responds, "Thou art rash as fire to say that she was false. O, she was heavenly true!" (5, 2, 165-166). Emilia would go against Othello and anyone else to defend her mistress's reputation. Emilia thinks highly of her mistress and when someone tries to darken her pure image, Emilia confronts them. Emilia will not let anyone change her views of …show more content…
She respects her and knows her true value. In Act IV, Othello asks Emilia if there is a possibility of Desdemona having an affair on him with his lieutenant, Michael Cassio. She, without question, responds, "I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest, lay down my soul at stake. If you think other, remove your thought. It doth abuse your bosom" (4, 2, 13-15). Without knowing if his source was reliable or if he had seen it himself, she immediately dismisses it as something Desdemona would never do because of her character and morals. She even goes as far to say, "For if she is not honest, chaste, and true, there's no man happy. The purest of their wives is foul as slander" (4, 2, 18-20). Emilia thinks of Desdemona as being the purest wife or woman in the world. Emilia has so much confidence in Desdemona's unwavering loyalty to Othello, she willingly sacrifices her own life to defend Desdemona's
Emilia defends Desdemona's reputation and will not accept the insult from Othello towards her mistress. She knows the statement by Othello is false and will not let anyone give excuses for it. When Othello claims that she is false, Emilia immediately responds, "Thou art rash as fire to say that she was false. O, she was heavenly true!" (5, 2, 165-166). Emilia would go against Othello and anyone else to defend her mistress's reputation. Emilia thinks highly of her mistress and when someone tries to darken her pure image, Emilia confronts them. Emilia will not let anyone change her views of …show more content…
She respects her and knows her true value. In Act IV, Othello asks Emilia if there is a possibility of Desdemona having an affair on him with his lieutenant, Michael Cassio. She, without question, responds, "I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest, lay down my soul at stake. If you think other, remove your thought. It doth abuse your bosom" (4, 2, 13-15). Without knowing if his source was reliable or if he had seen it himself, she immediately dismisses it as something Desdemona would never do because of her character and morals. She even goes as far to say, "For if she is not honest, chaste, and true, there's no man happy. The purest of their wives is foul as slander" (4, 2, 18-20). Emilia thinks of Desdemona as being the purest wife or woman in the world. Emilia has so much confidence in Desdemona's unwavering loyalty to Othello, she willingly sacrifices her own life to defend Desdemona's