Describe the relationship between Emilia and Iago in Othello.

Emilia and Iago’s relationship could best be described as one-sided. Emilia shows faithfulness and even love towards her husband, Iago, but he does not reciprocate. He frequently uses Emilia in his schemes for his own purposes. Most of what the reader learns about Iago and Emilia’s relationship comes from Emilia herself, who often speaks of Iago or of husbands in general. Iago, on the other hand, only chides Emilia. He speaks to her only when he may need her to do his bidding and often degrades the entire female sex.

Though Emilia willingly does all that her husband asks, she is a strong woman who isn’t afraid to think for herself. This is proven by her first line in the play, when she tells Iago “You have little cause to say so” in reply to him publicly berating her. This passage also shows how little Iago thinks of his wife that he is willing to not only insult her but does so in front of others.

The reader sees Emilia’s faithfulness proven when she takes a handkerchief from her mistress and wife of Othello, Desdemona. Though her “wayward husband hath a hundred times woo’d me to steal it,” Emilia waits until Desdemona drops it on accident to retrieve it. Emilia is willing to help her husband but maintains a sense of morality despite his using her for vile purposes.

Emilia says she will give the handkerchief to Iago despite not knowing what he intends to do with it. She doesn’t seem to care though, saying “I nothing but to please his fantasy.” It is clear from this line that Emilia only does what she does in the hope of pleasing Iago.

The way Emilia speaks in general of husbands is further insight to how she is treated. In act three, scene four, she describes husbands as merely filling up on women, then getting rid of them when they are done.

'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:
They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;
To eat us hungerly, and when they are full,
They belch us.

The first portion of this text shows us that perhaps Emilia and Iago had a more reciprocal relationship at first. “A year or two shows us a man” claims that it takes a little while for a man’s true heart to show. This indicates that at first, maybe, Iago did love Emilia back or at least pretended to love her. This could explain why she remains dedicated to him despite his cruelty towards her; she is hoping to regain the kindness he may have once shown her.

Towards the end of the play Emilia has an arguably feminist monologue wherein she explains how alike to men women are and how unfair it is for women to be treated as lesser. In the last two lines of her speech Emilia says, “Then let them use us well: else let them know, the ills we do, their ills instruct us so.” When she says this, Emilia is saying that she hopes men will begin to treat women better. If not, they will soon learn that any bad acts done by women are done so because the evil of man tells them to do it. It can be assumed that Emilia is thinking of Iago at this time, for he uses her frequently for himself. At this point in the story Emilia knows Iago has used her for evil deeds.

Near the end of the play when Othello has killed Desdemona, Emilia begs Iago to deny his part in it. She tells him, “Thou’rt not such a villain: speak for my heart is full.” By now Emilia is figuring out what role her husband has played in this scheme against Othello, yet she still hopes to find him innocent. Once she realizes her part in it, the retrieving of the handkerchief, Emilia confesses to Othello. Iago stabs her. Once she was no longer on his side, admitting her own villainy and therefore his as well, Iago kills his own wife. He no longer has any use for Emilia and punishes her for confessing their sins with death.

It can be concluded that despite his villainy, Emilia truly loves Iago. Though she is aware of his faults, she still tries to please him and continually hopes to find him innocent of villainy. Perhaps she does so to gain the love that he never gave her, though it never works. Iago cares not for Emilia, believing all women beneath him. He sees Emilia’s only true purpose as serving him.

Describe the relationship between Emilia and Iago in Othello.

As the other educator pointed out, Iago is an overprotective, jealous, and domineering husband. The root of his bad behavior toward his wife Emilia originates from his contempt of her intelligence. In short, Iago doesn't think much of Emilia. She's a tool that he uses to further his ambitious ends.

In act 3, scene 3, Emilia tells Iago that she finally has possession of Desdemona's handkerchief. Recall that Iago had exerted continuous pressure on Emilia to steal the handkerchief in the past. Now that she has it, Emilia thinks that her husband will be pleased with her.

However, he displays nothing but contempt for Emilia. Iago rudely asks her why she's hovering about the place alone. When she hands him the handkerchief, he grabs it with a rude comment: "It is a common thing . . . to have a foolish wife." Iago doesn't thank Emilia. For her part, Emilia is a little irritated by Iago's poor treatment, and she demands, "What will you give me now / For the same handkerchief?"

Iago doesn't humor her with an answer, which upsets her. Now, unlike many past occasions, Emilia openly questions her husband about his intentions. However, Iago rebuffs her, as he always does. At this point, we begin to see Emilia exert her personal agency and begin to push back against Iago's abusive treatment. Emilia's loyalty to Desdemona compels her to do everything she can to protect her mistress.

Matters come to a head when Emilia discovers to her horror (in act 5) that her husband has betrayed Desdemona and accused her mistress of adultery. At this point, Emilia puts aside her characteristic submissiveness and turns on Iago.

She confronts not only Iago but Othello, as well, after the latter murders Desdemona. Emilia's courageous stand rests on her resolve to not "charm" her "tongue" any longer, while her mistress lies "murdered in her bed."

Emilia even tells Iago that she may never go home again, and she characterizes Iago's acts for what they are: evil.

'Twill out, ’twill out.—I peace?

No, I will speak as liberal as the north.

Let heaven and men and devils, let them all,

All, all cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak.

Describe the relationship between Emilia and Iago in Othello.

Iago and Emilia's relationship doesn't appear to be based on love. But then that's probably because Iago is constitutionally incapable of love. Iago is insanely jealous of his wife and has got it into his head that she's been cheating on him with Othello. This isn't an expression of love, however, but of self-regard. Iago is very much a man of his time. The merest hint of infidelity on the part of his wife, however implausible, is a threat to his masculinity. Iago's reputation is everything to him, both as a man and as a soldier, and that reputation is damaged by any suggestion that Emilia's turned him into a cuckold.

Emilia, for her part, is absolutely devoted to her husband. She aims to please, and will do anything for Iago, even if it means being used as a pawn in a wicked plot to destroy Desdemona. Emilia is blissfully unaware of why Iago wants her to go and fetch Desdemona's handkerchief. She hasn't the faintest idea of what her husband proposes to do with it, but it really doesn't matter; all she wants to do is please her man:

I’ll have the work ta'en out And give ’t Iago. What he will do with it Heaven knows, not I. I nothing but to please his fantasy (Act III Scene iii).

In many respects, Iago and Emilia's relationship parallels that between Othello and Desdemona. Both women have the misfortune to be married to unworthy men, who treat them abominably. Yet Emilia and Desdemona respond to their husbands' jealousy, anger, and harsh words with love, kindness and forbearance. There is more than a hint of codependency about these relationships, and Emilia's codependency, like Desdemona's, ultimately leads to tragedy.

In Shakespeare's Othello, what was Emilia's relationship with Iago and Desdemona?

Emilia is one of the more intriguing characters in Othello. She is Iago's wife, and while it is easy to think it's an unhappy marriage due to what we know of Iago, Emilia seems to care for him and to genuinely want to please him. She does, for instance, steal the handkerchief and doesn't admit to doing so when Desdemona is distraught for having lost it. Iago is more than willing to make callous and misogynistic comments typical of a man who spends his time in military camps, and Emilia makes sarcastic remarks about husbands, but these would seem conventional in context.

We know that Othello and Desdemona had spent time together in Venice, but this seems to have been a relatively brief courtship conducted in Brabantio's home (but without his awareness). It doesn't seem plausible that Othello would have taken Iago with him on these social visits; even less plausible would be if Iago had brought Emilia with him. The difference in social standing suggests that in Venice, Desdemona and Emilia would not have been well acquainted and that their bond is forged on Cyprus—as women removed from their normal domestic context. Emilia begins to serve Desdemona because Othello and Iago dispatch to Cyprus, and Desdemona would have no female servants to attend her, given her father's attitude toward her marriage. It can be hard to remember this when reading or seeing the play, but this female friendship may be only a few days or weeks in duration (the link below discusses the two different "times" that seem to operate in the play).

One of the most lyrical scenes occurs near the end of the play, after Othello strikes Desdemona and calls her a "whore." Turning to Emilia, Desdemona inquires about the possibility of marital infidelity. Sadly, even here, Desdemona is so innocent and so in love with Othello that she cannot conceptualize a marriage that includes infidelity. Like Othello, she has an "honest" and "open" nature. Emilia does not suggest she herself has been unfaithful, but she is certainly sophisticated enough in the world of marriage to recognize its possibility:

But I do think it is their husbands' faults
If wives do fall: say that they slack their duties,
And pour our treasures into foreign laps,
Or else break out in peevish jealousies,
Throwing restraint upon us; or say they strike us,
Or scant our former having in despite;
Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace,
Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know
Their wives have sense like them: they see and smell
And have their palates both for sweet and sour,
As husbands have. What is it that they do
When they change us for others? Is it sport?
I think it is: and doth affection breed it?
I think it doth: is't frailty that thus errs?
It is so too: and have not we affections,
Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?
Then let them use us well: else let them know,
The ills we do, their ills instruct us so (4.3)

This speech is both powerful and empowering, for it illustrates that Emilia has an intelligence equal to Iago's in assessing justice and revenge for emotions damaged. Just as Othello and Desdemona early on offer a staggeringly beautiful image of marital love based on mutual power and admiration, Emilia and Iago seem to be equally paired. One could image the foursome rounding out a Shakespearean romantic comedy, had the action of the play not occurred in the isolation of Cyprus.

In this play about faithfulness, we see a change of loyalty in Emilia, from Iago to Desdemona. Emilia finally turns on Iago when she sees that he is largely responsible for Desdemona's death. Like so much in this play, Emilia's truth-speaking is too little and too late, but she does offer a personal integrity, warmth, clarity of mind, and loyalty to goodness that is otherwise in the final scenes of the play.

In Shakespeare's Othello, what was Emilia's relationship with Iago and Desdemona?

Emilia is Iago's wife, and serves as Desdemona's lady-in-waiting. She is therefore a central character in the play, because she is close to both Desdemona and Iago. In a very real sense, she is as caught up in the intrigues, plotting, and betrayal as any character in the play. It is Emilia who takes, at Iago's request, the handkerchief that the wicked Iago uses to convince Othello that his wife is having an affair with Michael Cassio. But it is also Emilia who exposes Iago's treachery once she becomes aware of it, and who castigates Othello for his foolishness in believing the gentle Desdemona capable of such dishonesty. Iago murders her in the final scene for revealing his plot. Both because of her situation and her strength, she is one of the most important characters in the play.