# Emilia — Othello character guide

> Emilia in Othello by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Desdemona Emilia

**First appearance:** 0000-othello

## Snapshot

Iago's wife and Desdemona's attendant, a plainspoken woman whose loyalty to her mistress quietly outruns her duty to her husband.

## Who they are

Emilia has learned to absorb Iago's public jabs about women's tongues with a shrug, and she serves Desdemona with a practicality her mistress lacks. She is the one who finds the dropped handkerchief, and the one who watches her lady's marriage curdle without knowing her own hand in it. Her presence in the bedroom and the courtyard makes her the play's quiet witness — and eventually its most dangerous one.

## Relationships

### [Othello](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/othello)

_professional_

Emilia serves as Desdemona's attendant and is caught between loyalty to her mistress and her husband Iago's schemes.

### [Desdemona](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/desdemona)

_friendship_

Desdemona and Emilia are close confidantes, with Emilia serving as her maid and loyal friend until the tragic end.

### [Iago](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/iago)

_family_

Emilia is Iago's wife, but he treats her with contempt and uses her as an unwitting tool in his plot.

### [Othello](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/othello)

_professional_

Emilia serves as Desdemona's attendant and is caught between loyalty to her mistress and her husband Iago's schemes.

### [Iago](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/iago)

_family_

Emilia is Iago's wife, but he treats her with contempt and uses her as an unwitting tool in his plot.

### [Desdemona](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/desdemona)

_friendship_

Desdemona and Emilia are close confidantes, with Emilia serving as her maid and loyal friend until the tragic end.

### [Iago](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/iago)

_family_

Emilia is Iago's wife, but he treats her with contempt and uses her as an unwitting tool in his plot.

### [Othello](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/othello)

_professional_

Emilia serves as Desdemona's attendant and is caught between loyalty to her mistress and her husband Iago's schemes.

### [Desdemona](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/desdemona)

_friendship_

Desdemona and Emilia are close confidantes, with Emilia serving as her maid and loyal friend until the tragic end.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-i)

Arrives in Cyprus with Iago and exchanges sharp words with him about women and marriage.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-i)

Emilia acts as a go-between, comforting Cassio and arranging his private audience with Desdemona.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iii)

Picks up the handkerchief and gives it to Iago, unaware of his malicious intentions.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iv)

Observes Othello's jealousy, warns Desdemona about jealous natures, and suspects Iago's involvement.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-i)

Not directly present in this scene.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ii)

Defends Desdemona's honesty, suspects a villain is behind the slander.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iii)

Argues that wives' infidelity often stems from husbands' faults, and discusses the double standard between men and women.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Arrives and is sent by Iago to report the events.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii)

Reveals the truth about the handkerchief, is stabbed by Iago, and dies beside Desdemona.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters/emilia
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/othello_se/characters