Kelvin Iyare
Ceolin, E.
ENG2D1-05
7 November 2014
Emilia’s Tremendous Influence in Othello
In literature, various authors use characters in plays to exemplify dramatic literary devices. Some of the dramatic literary devices demonstrated throughout plays are foreshadowing, suspense, irony and pathetic fallacy. William Shakespeare, who is considered as the greatest writer in English language uses characters to convey messages through dramatic literary devices. Shakespeare effectively uses characters to express dramatic literary devices that construct the plot of the play. For example, in the play Macbeth, which is one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays, he uses the witches to illustrate the popular theme of “Appearance vs. Reality”. Also, Shakespeare uses Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet to portray the theme of “love”. In the play Othello, William Shakespeare uses Emilia as the character that expresses dramatic literary devices through her words and actions. During the play, Emilia acts as an agent that advances the plot, anticipates upcoming events, and reveals accurate information to other characters. To begin with, Emilia helps to progress the plot by being involved in another character’s plans. She helps to advance the plot by helping Iago perform his devious acts and leaving Cassio to speak to Desdemona privately. Emilia progresses the plot by saying that she will give Iago the handkerchief. This advances the plot because she allows Iago to deviously set up Cassio. Emilia talks to herself saying, “I’ll have the work ta’en out / And give’t Iago” (3.3.297-298). Although, one might argue that Emilia is innocent and does not know the significance of the handkerchief. However, she actually assists her husband, by giving the handkerchief to him. Emilia’s character is developed as an obedient woman because she obeys her husband’s request. This could be considered as one of the major parts of the plot because the handkerchief is used as evidence against Cassio to prove his guilt of sleeping with Desdemona. Emilia’s great contributions to advancing the play’s plot prove why she is known as an agent of plot progression. Also, Emilia progresses the plot by leaving Cassio so that he can talk to Desdemona alone. Emilia tells Cassio, “I will bestow you where you shall have time / To speak your bosom freely” (3.1.54-55). Iago wants Cassio to talk to Desdemona alone so that Othello would find them and get angry. Therefore, Emilia unknowingly helps Iago again to set up Desdemona and Cassio to be found together. Emilia’s decision to leave Cassio alone proves why she is considered as an agent of plot progression in the play. In conclusion, Emilia’s decisions ultimately play a big role in Iago’s evil deeds. During the play, Emilia provides the readers with important upcoming events. She foreshadows her death and hints that Iago is the one that is behind the ongoing events. Emilia foreshadows her death by saying that men devour women when they are hungry, which means that men kill women when they want, ultimately leading to her death. During a conversation between Emilia and Desdemona, Emilia explains how men are to Desdemona saying, “They are all but stomachs, and we all but food / They eat us hungerly, and when they are full / They belch us” (3.4.104-105). As a result, her words build suspense among readers. It makes readers wonder if Emilia would eventually be killed by her husband, Iago. Later on in the play, Iago does eventually kill her after he accomplishes his evil plans. The fact that Iago kills Emilia after he finishes his evil deeds connects to the quote because it says that men will belch out women when they are full. Emilia’s hint to other characters about her fate proves why she is considered as an agent of foreshadowing. Also, Emilia hints the truth about Iago’s evil deeds by providing a clue that the individual who is behind these events is someone that is trying to get on Othello’s good side. She calls the person a
