(https://crimsonchevalier.wordpress.com/emilia/)

Emilia, darling woman! What a great character! She puts up with Iago as a husband, she dotes on her mistress lovingly, with devotion and loyalty, and she gets a real shit ending. Let’s begin.

It’s clear to see from the beginning that Emilia enjoys serving Desdemona, or at the very least, has no real objection to her position. If she did, I think Shakespeare would have created a different character in her, going so far as to make her henchwoman to Iago. But Iago works alone, and Iago hates women, so that’s not a thing. Emilia’s wonderful and pure up until the handkerchief.

The Handkerchief Dilemma

Why does Emilia give Iago the handkerchief? This doesn’t seem like something she’d do based on what we know so far about Emilia. In fact, her words and actions in that very scene do not match up! She says Iago keeps asking her to steal the handkerchief, and then she says that Desdemona loves that thing so much because it’s a token from Othello, and THEN she says she’ll just make a copy of the pattern to make her husband happy. AND THEN, in the next scene, she gives that very handkerchief to Iago! It’s a strange scene that adds depth to Emilia’s character, but it seems so out of place that it has to be examined further.

Up until this point, we’ve not seen much interaction between Iago and Emilia, and there hasn’t been anything to indicate that he is either a good or bad husband, aside from our own judgments of him as a person. But when Emilia begins speaking about his role in her taking the handkerchief, she calls him “wayward”, indicating that their marriage is somewhat difficult due to the way Iago is. This means that Emilia is somewhat aware of Iago’s true villainous character. And then, even when she does decide to steal the handkerchief, she says she is doing it to “…please his fantasy” (3, 3, 343). This is truly bizarre. She knows that her mistress loves the thing, and doesn’t want to lose it. She knows that Iago is not an altogether savory person, and yet she says she will give him the handkerchief anyway. Iago calls her foolish, he obviously does not appreciate his wife. She is doing this behind Desdemona’s back. Yet, she does not seem like a villain. Iago could not have known about the handkerchief dropping by accident. She had no real incentive to take it, so I can only believe that her intentions were to sate her OWN curiosity. Which is fine! What a wonderfully complex character! And when Desdemona realizes that it’s missing, Emelia lies! She says she doesn’t know where it is, which IS a truth in itself, but she knows that she wouldn’t be lying had she not given Iago it. Furthermore, she doesn’t even get the truth from Iago about his intentions with the handkerchief. Raw deal.

And she beats herself up over it like you wouldn’t believe. She’s remorseful the second Othello mentions that his suspicions were proven true when he saw the handkerchief. She is shocked and outraged and reveals that she gave it to her husband. And then, after he has been outed, Iago kills her. As if there wasn’t enough damage done. He’s already been found out, and he kills her because he hates her for not covering for him. Villainous wretch. And then the poor woman begs to be placed by her mistress’ side to die by her. She seems willing to die, as long as it is in the service of her mistress.

<3 u Emelia, you didnt deserve what you got