The Shakespeare Book

248 OTHELLO

Faithful wives
Both Emilia and Desdemona are
depicted as women who loyally
follow and obey their husbands.
Desdemona’s loyalty to Othello is
clear in her submissiveness to his
will. She follows him to Cyprus,
tends to him when he appears to be
ill, apologizes for being the object of
his scorn even after he strikes her
in public, and finally dies when he
wishes her to. In a similar fashion,
Emilia obeys Iago’s will when she
steals Desdemona’s handkerchief
at his bidding.
The difference between the
women becomes apparent at the
play’s close when Desdemona
refuses to name her murderer, and
Emilia denounces Iago. But the
result is the same—they are both
murdered by their husbands and
their faithfulness goes unrewarded.
Desdemona’s helplessness in the
face of Othello’s accusations and
Iago’s manipulation is counteracted
by Emilia, whose love for her
companion emboldens her to speak
out against Othello and to accuse
her husband of villainy even when
Iago holds a dagger to her throat.
It is Emilia who travels with
Desdemona, comforts and supports
her when she is abandoned by
her father and, later, her husband.
Emilia also encourages Desdemona
to consider herself an equal to
Othello. She asks “have not we
affections, / Desires for sport, and
frailty, as men have?” (4.3.99–100).
In contrast to her husband’s
relationship with Othello, Emilia
is fiercely loyal to Desdemona,
and her dying words are spent
in defense of her companion.

While the women display loyalty

to their men, the men themselves

are far more concerned with

appearances, which are a major

driver in their actions. Cassio and

Othello are both preoccupied with

their reputations. Cassio’s name

is tainted by his late-night brawl

with Roderigo, for which he is

dismissed from his service under

Othello. Cassio’s lament for his

reputation early in the play’s action

foreshadows Othello’s far more

sinister concern over his honor.

While the military men grow

fearful over their honor, the women

suffer attacks on their sexual

reputations. Iago’s accusations

against Desdemona are sufficient

to cast her entire character into

doubt. This is echoed in Cassio’s

comments to Bianca. He calls her

a “bauble,” implying that her moral

laxity makes her unworthy to be

his bride.

Damnation

What does it mean to be damned?

And what constitutes a damnable

sin? These are questions that

Shakespeare has his characters

struggle with throughout the

action of the play.

Othello frequently uses the

word “damn” in reference to

Desdemona, and even tells her

that she is “double-damned”

(4.2.38) by her deceit. Damnation

is associated with hellfire and

eternal punishment, which is

suited to the Catholic characters

of the play. Because of the dishonor

and sinfulness of Desdemona’s

alleged infidelity, Othello considers

it his duty to murder her “else she’ll

betray more men” (5.2.6). Her

infidelity is what he calls “the

cause” that spurs him on to

seek her death.

Yet she must die, else she’ll

betray more men.

Othello

Act 5, Scene 2

French tenor Roberto Alagna and
Albanian soprano Inva Mula took the
roles of Otello and Desdemona in a 2008
production of Verdi’s Otello. The villain
Iago is cast in a lower, baritone voice.