Within Othello, Emilia creates a mysterious underlying character. As Desdemona's handmaiden, Emilia is a unique character in that she is of great importance to Desdemona, yet we hear very little from her within the play. However, in act 3 scene 3, Emilia turns the tide of the tale. Emilia happens upon Desdemona's dropped handkerchief, "her first remembrance of the Moor", and then wonders upon what to do with it. Emilia is pulled both ways, trying to be true to both her lady and her husband who has "a hundred times wooed me to steal it [the handkerchief]." Emilia comes to a compromise where she can please both her husband, by copying the pattern of the handkerchief, and Desdemona. What's interesting is the reasoning behind such a compromise. Emilia has her doubts about the legitimacy of Iago's need of the handkerchief, yet hands it over to him nonetheless. Even more interesting, is that she hands it over to him after he rebukes her saying, "It is a common thing- to have a foolish wife." I can only imagine that Emilia was off-put at this and wanted to please her lord and prove to Iago that she was of some merit to him. She also covers her actions by clarifying that "she [Desdemona] dropped it [the handkerchief] by negligence." This way if some harm were to come from Iago having Desdemona's handkerchief, Emilia would be able to assure Desdemona that she did not steal it. I also think this is a way of Emilia proving that she is above Iago because she did not indeed steal it as he asked, but came upon it by happenstance.
Why is there a clown in this play? What significance does the clown's character hold? And why was he seemingly in charge of the musicians?
I found it very interesting that you focused on Emilia in your blog. I do too have been questioning just how important her character was until this scene. It was shocking to me that a handmaiden would go against her lady and defy her by giving the handkerchief to her husband instead. I feel like the clown is not necessarily a clown as you are imagining but a worker of Othello and now Desdemona.
ReplyDeleteI also thought Iago never made a very strong case for needing the handkerchief, but his ability to manipulate people into doing what he needs them to do at times almost seems supernatural. I think his ability and their close relationship allowed him to play on her loyalties enough to convince her to get it for him.
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