Examples Of Infidelity In Othello
In Act IV, scene III of Shakespeare’s Othello, Emilia explains reasons for unfaithfulness. Emilia conveys her ideology about infidelity to Desdemona, a character that has not yet been exposed to the idea, through the use of rhetorical strategies such as appeals, imagery and diction to further reinforce her point that infidelity is caused by the husband.
There is a plethora of appeals in Emilia’s monologue, many of which involve Emilia’s personal encounters with the idea of unfaithfulness. In Act VI, scene III, Emilia states, “Yes, a dozen, and as many to th' vantage as would store the world they played for. But I do think it is their husbands' faults if wives do fall.”. Emilia speaks using the first person pronoun “I” in “But I do think
it is their husbands' faults if wives do fall.”, to apply her input into the situation to make Desdemona more emotionally comfortable with the topic. Emilia elaborates, “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.”. The word “Us” and “Our” furthermore caters to Desdemona’s ability to relate. Throughout the monologue, Emilia continues to justify her claim to Desdemona by logically comparing and contrasting realistic scenarios that men often create. Emilia responds, “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.”. This back and forth confliction that Emilia has with men’s choices and actions proves to Desdemona that women are not always pure because men are insecure with themselves. This is what furthers Othello’s dramatic change in character in Act IV.
In the monologue, Emilia addresses one point that Desdemona is extremely familiar with. The quote, “Or say they strike us,”, causes Desdemona to relive the horrific period in the novel when Othello strikes her. This graphic moment in the novel represents the first time the audience witnesses Othello’s unjust behavior. The importance of this event furthers the reason why women encounter infidelity. Women cheat because, as Emilia states, “The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.”. In other words, Women cheat because they have been influenced by their spouses.
Emilia’s influential monologue illustrates the actions of man, and how they disregard women and why women cheat, through the use of rhetorical strategies such as appeals, imagery and diction. In the time of Shakespeare, these things were common, and Shakespeare’s theory (that was conveyed in Emilia’s monologue) that women only pursued infidelity when they felt they had not been pleased by their spouse was and forever be accurate.
There is a plethora of appeals in Emilia’s monologue, many of which involve Emilia’s personal encounters with the idea of unfaithfulness. In Act VI, scene III, Emilia states, “Yes, a dozen, and as many to th' vantage as would store the world they played for. But I do think it is their husbands' faults if wives do fall.”. Emilia speaks using the first person pronoun “I” in “But I do think
it is their husbands' faults if wives do fall.”, to apply her input into the situation to make Desdemona more emotionally comfortable with the topic. Emilia elaborates, “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.”. The word “Us” and “Our” furthermore caters to Desdemona’s ability to relate. Throughout the monologue, Emilia continues to justify her claim to Desdemona by logically comparing and contrasting realistic scenarios that men often create. Emilia responds, “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.”. This back and forth confliction that Emilia has with men’s choices and actions proves to Desdemona that women are not always pure because men are insecure with themselves. This is what furthers Othello’s dramatic change in character in Act IV.
In the monologue, Emilia addresses one point that Desdemona is extremely familiar with. The quote, “Or say they strike us,”, causes Desdemona to relive the horrific period in the novel when Othello strikes her. This graphic moment in the novel represents the first time the audience witnesses Othello’s unjust behavior. The importance of this event furthers the reason why women encounter infidelity. Women cheat because, as Emilia states, “The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.”. In other words, Women cheat because they have been influenced by their spouses.
Emilia’s influential monologue illustrates the actions of man, and how they disregard women and why women cheat, through the use of rhetorical strategies such as appeals, imagery and diction. In the time of Shakespeare, these things were common, and Shakespeare’s theory (that was conveyed in Emilia’s monologue) that women only pursued infidelity when they felt they had not been pleased by their spouse was and forever be accurate.