Thoughts about Othello--- Emilia's Revelation

   

                                                      Emilia's Revelation

                         Bear with me, O mystery of being, for pulling threads from your veil.

                                                           ~ "Under a Certain Little Star" by Wislawa Szymborska~

   

http://www.smartfellowspress.com/Hypothesis_of_a_Confession.htm

          Hsun Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher, states: Man's Nature is Evil (circa 300BCE).

The nature of humans is that we are born with affection for profit, with emotions of jealousy and hostility, with the cravings from what we see and hear. Am I a loyal and obedient servant of Desdemona? What if I am the real villain? I am not like everyone else who puts absolute trust in "honest" Iago and "noble" Othello. I despise them. Did I give the handkerchief to Iago without knowing his plot? I am Iago’s wife, Emilia. Do you think that I am so ignorant of knowing nothing about the jealousy of my own husband, with whom I sleep? Iago is evil, but he is not bright enough, just as all the other soldiers. Actually, Iago is quite clumsy, and you can tell from his soliloquy throughout the play that he had never had his whole plan mapped out in advance. If Iago was smart, he would have planned well, and he would have gotten away with it. Luckily, Iago is also easy to manipulate. I am Iago’s weakness. The thinking of "A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife"(1.1.21) tortured him.

          Othello is a soldier, a mercenary, and such a damned good one that the entire Venetian council appointed him as the leader to protect Cyprus. Everyone admired Othello including me. Do you think Othello was a virgin when he met Desdemona? Do you think my husband's suspicion came out of nothing? Iago’s soliloquy, "it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets, He has done my office" (1.3.378-379). Iago also said to Othello: " I know our country disposition well: In Venice they do let God see the pranks. They dare not show their husband. Their best conscience. Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown" (3.3.203-207). Iago was right. If men sleep around, women have the same right to give in to temptation. We women, "... have not we affections, Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have" (4.3.98-99)?  There is nothing wrong that I made Iago a cuckold. I believe that men and women are the same and have the same desires and needs.

          Othello has the right to order my husband into battle; yet, he doesn't have the right to demand the same of me. "Honest Iago, My Desdemona must I leave to thee; I prithee, let thy wife attend on her" (1.3.291-293). He made me his wife's servant. I hate the way he thinks that he has the right to control me because I had been his mistress. "’Tis not a year or two shows us a man. They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us"(3.4.97-100). I am scorned. He will get what he deserves.

          Why do you think that I gave the handkerchief to Iago? Because I wanted to please him? How about the other way around? Don't forget how Iago, my husband described me: "you are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchen, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds" (2.1.108-111). Can you see that I am the one he has to please? And, this is my husband's warning for you: I can be devil if I had being offended; as well as "She puts her tongue a little in her heart, And chides with thinking" (2.1.106-107).

          I knew that the loss of the handkerchief would cause problems between Othello and Desdemona. All I have to do is to keep quiet about the whereabouts of the handkerchief, and enjoy the fact that Othello made a great fuss about the missing handkerchief, which is tearing apart the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. This is the reason why I didn't tell Desdemona about the handkerchief before things got out of hand, although I did warn her by saying "Is he not jealous" (3.4.26). Haven't I told her that jealousy doesn't need a cause: "’Tis a monster, Begot upon itself, born on itself" (3.4.155-156)? Too bad, Desdemona is stupid enough to answer me: "I think the sun where he was born, Drew all such humours from him" (3.4.27-28).  I know that the handkerchief was Othello's first gift to Desdemona, and Desdemona always keeps it with her, "To kiss and talk to" (3.3.298). Therefore, I had to be prepared for what I could say if Desdemona came back for the handkerchief. "I'll have the work tane out"(3.3.298) because it's so beautiful. As a result, it was Iago who came in instead of Desdemona coming back.

          This is a war between women. Desdemona is too naive to be stupid; Bianca is a strumpet, "A housewife that by selling her desires buys herself bread and clothes" (4.1.94-95). I am the best among them; yet, Othello secretly married Desdemona without letting me know; Cassio goes to Bianca. No one appreciates me. Do you think that I defended Desdemona, that I was dilly overtly loyal to Desdemona? I'm not just an adjunction.  

  

          How pathetic no one has seen through that I was the initiator of the chain of events that sparked jealousy in Othello and eventually led to the downfall of not only Othello and Desdemona, but also my husband, Iago and I after 400 years. The marriage between Othello and Desdemona is like dancing along the cliff. There was no true love between them, not even sexual lust. All they have is pity for each other as Othello said to the Duke of Venice: "She loved me for the dangers I had pass'd, And I loved her that she did pity them" (1.3.166-167). Desdemona loved Othello for his adventure, for he lorded over the battles, for he faced danger fearlessly. Most women love the imagery of a successful man who goes through hell and high tide, but this is not love. And, it is easy to tear a fragile marriage apart.

          I paid with my life. What more can you expect from me? I would be happy to repeat my actions regardless. Roderigo is dumb, but he said what I think, "It is silliness to live when to live is torment; and then have we a prescription to die when death is our physician"(1.3.305-306). I admired Othello; I had an affair with him. I thought he would have had at least mercy for me because of all those passionate nights, our fleshly urges, our unbridled lusts, but he treated me as a servant. Othello should have known better, known that humans were born with jealousy. He touched my bottom line. He deserved what he got: sorrow, grief, remorse after killing the only woman who loves him.

          As for me, I am quite satisfied with the result that Iago killed me. I am the only one in Iago’s life that he cannot control. By killing me, Iago placed me in a position equal to Desdemona; we were both killed by our husbands. "O murderous coxcomb, what should such a fool do with so good a wife" (5.2.231-232). Iago and Othello both are not deserving of a good wife. Yet, for me, who died by Desdemona's side, it symbolized that I was as important as her, one of the women in Othello's life. Iago was smart enough at the end to realize that my cry was not for him. He shouted to me: "Villainous whore" (5.2.227) and "Filth, thou liest" (5.2.229) before he stabbed me to death. He had probably finally understood "If that the earth could teem with woman's tears, Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile" (4.1.242-243). The best policy for him was "Demand me nothing; what you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word" (5.2.300-301), or he would only shame himself more. (1350 words)