User:Minimac cindi

Othello Soliloquy - The Creation Process

=== Chosen Character - Emilia - Placement of Soliloquy in play - Act 5, Scene 2, 215 ===

Emilia is a female character in the Shakespearian drama 'Othello' that strongly displays the effects of gender power on women. Emilia is married to Iago, unaware of his malicious nature, and is also the Lady of Othello's wife; 'Desdemona'. Sexually, intellectually, economically and professionally, the women of 'Othello' find themselves disempowered by men's influence in a negative fashion. Emilia negatively experiences the impact of the power that gender has over her thoughts and actions through her position in society, the way she is treated in a disposable manner by her husband and in her everyday actions. Emilia finds society regarding her opinion as less important than males, and strongly feels the unjust nature of the way that women are suppressed by men, and voices this controversial opinion of Desdemona throughout the play. Yet Emilia also finds herself wooed under the control of Iago, wishing to please his desires, so when he bids that she steal her Lady's handkerchief, she does so without reason. Emilia is a feminist character in the play, contrasting to not only her obedient actions towards her own husband, but also by the innocent and obedient character of her Lady Desdemona, whose chastity is questioned throughout the play. Iago's ability to use his power as a male over Emilia to fool her from discovering his plot to manipulate and bring down Othello, yet also blind her to the fact he has made her an accessory, displays the role of men in society and the power that they have over women's thoughts and actions.

Because of this attitude, Emilia is an appropriate character to write a soliloquy for because her feminist attitudes contrast greatly to Desdemona and to what is expected of her by society. This is difficult, yet intriguing to write about, allowing more creative freedom as to her opinions of this dominant male power because of her contradictory actions to her strong controversial opinions she voices in private. This provides a more interesting and broad range of perspectives to pursue in exploring her conscience in the form of a soliloquy. Throughout 'Othello', Emilia describes both her duty to men, yet also her disregard and distaste for such attitudes and beliefs of the inferiority and emotionally driven nature of a woman. Throughout the play, Emilia encounters a struggle between wishing to be a wife who is devoted and dedicated to the wellbeing of her husband, yet also her belief that men suppress and control women superficially and in a dominating and unacceptable fashion.

While Emilia shows tendencies towards feminism, she still acts in a politically correct fashion throughout the majority of the play, and is manipulated into almost accepting that there can't be any change in the treatment of women. Through this inner conflict between moral and social values, Emilia discovers when Othello kills Desdemona, that Iago has in fact been villainous and is solely responsible for the manipulation of her and those around her so that his murderous plot can be successful. In Act 5, Scene 2 when Emilia discovers from Othello that Iago her husband has caused the death of her Lady through manipulative and malicious means, she cries 'O God! O heavenly God!' in utter disbelief and outrage. At this point in the play when Emilia is almost incredulous, and horrified at the cruelty of her husbands actions and of his ability to blind her so easily. This moment is opportune therefore for Emilia to finally voice her thoughts and opinions of the strangling and suppressing power that men have over women. The irony that in this added soliloquy she is detesting the control of men and their selfish expectation that women should do as they command is clear when moments later she is murdered by Iago for not staying quiet as he implores, this further emphasising the struggle to break free of this powerful hold that men have over women. Iago’s deceiving attitude and arrogant words resulting in his sexual power over Emilia, forcing her to beg for his affection, even though she is aware of his disposable attitude.

NOTE: When the soliloquy is placed into the play at point Act 5, Scene 2, 215; the director will ensure a freeze frame. The actors, situated on centre left, will freeze, and Emilia will advance to down right of the stage and begin to speak her thoughts through soliloquy to the audience.

Use of language and spoken techniques to reflect power and Emilia

The use of varying language and spoken techniques throughout the 20 lined soliloquy have helped further the display of gender power over Emilia in the Shakespearian play ‘Othello’. The use of metaphorical language, similes, repetition, alliteration, exclamation and enjambment have helped further demonstrate Emilia’s disgust an disapproval of the power that Iago had over her, that resulted in her being an accessory to the murder of her Lady and best friend; Desdemona.

Metaphorical language is used in various stages of the soliloquy such as in stanzas two and five, where Othello, and in general ‘the male’ is described as charcoal. In stanza two it describes “The Moor’s charcoal now ember and ash,” This also incorporates irony into the metaphor because of the Moor’s skin colour; however this technique allows the audience to relate the character of men to the burning of coal, the fire representing their power, and the hungry flames representing their passion that transforms in the play into uncontrollable growing of manipulative power over women. The mention of their charcoal now ember and ash represents the passionate flames that engulfed themselves also, and resulted in the destroying of themselves, whether it be by death, or the discovery and punishment for their vile plot. The use of similes also has a similar effect on the audience’s understanding of the control that Iago has over Emilia due to his sex.

The use of repetition is used in Emilia’s soliloquy in line one of stanza one, and line one of stanza three. In line of stanza one, the Emilia exclaims ‘A fool, a fool, a dreadful fool!’ The repetition of the word ‘fool’ emphasises the horrified and guilty attitude of Emilia when she discovers that Iago has manipulated Othello into killing Desdemona. It emphasises that even though Iago has forced her to play part in this evil sequence of events unknowingly and she is disgusted and outraged at this power he has over her as a result because he is a male, she still blames herself. This further exemplifies the power of gender in regards to Emilia’s psychological state because of the controlling and arrogant attitude of her husband. Alliteration has a similar impact on the emotion of the piece, to demonstrate the anger, hurt and disbelief that Emilia feels after discovering the negative impacts of her husband’s control over her.

Enjambment used in Emilia’s soliloquy is both a language and spoken technique that assists in displaying a greater understanding of the gender power that Iago holds over Emilia through his warning and threatening words and his nature to pay attention and bestow affection upon her when she is doing something to gain his approval and it benefits him. The enjambment such as in ‘What man, what pillar once stood, So solid, and so strong,’ results in short sentences that further emphasis the solid foundations that men have become due to their power, and that they keep the rest of the world upright intact due to their stability and strength of character.

The spoken techniques of exclamation reflect that Iago’s deceiving attitude and arrogant words resulting in his sexual power over Emilia, forcing her to beg for his affection, even though she is aware of his disposable attitude. When Emilia exclaims ‘Until now so many lives are through !’ verbally exemplifies the horrid results of Iago’s ability to influence Emilia and Desdemona through his status as a male.

This proves that the use of language and speaking techniques such as similes, repetition, alliteration, exclamation and enjambment have helped further demonstrate Emilia’s disgust an disapproval of the power of men, proving her passionate, independent, controversial and feminist nature throughout the play until her death. They are also used to exemplify the control that Iago had and still has over her emotions, actions and self opinion, furthermore highlighting the negative and manipulative power of gender that impacts Emilia in her everyday actions.