Shakespeare uses Emilia and Desdemona to show two
different levels of femininity. You could go one of two ways with
this.
You could look at the difference between the voice of
the experienced wife-Emilia- and the voice of the inexperienced wife- Desdemona. Look at
the conversation the two women have in Act IV, Scene III about when or if they would
cheat on their husbands. Their attitudes toward their husbands also reflect the length
of their marriages. Emilia is far more aware of the complexity of her husband's
character. Desdemona fails to see "who" Othello is.
You
could also choose to take another route here. You could look at them as depicting two of
Shakespeare's three levels of femininity. Desdemona is the highest, a woman of class,
privilege and education. The flaws in her character and the problems she experiences are
directly related to her place in society. Emilia is the second level, a woman with a
"real life" education, a job, respectability but no "class" or "station". She behaves as
one would expect a woman of her station to behave. She is realistic and independent,
etc. (Bianca represents the third by the way).
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