Othello - 7

Othello the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare

"Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak. 'Tis proper I obey him, but not now" (Shakespeare, V.ii.194-195).

A dynamic character is one who changes in some important way as a result of the story's action. Emilia, like Othello, changes from the events of the play. In the first half of the play, Emilia is characterized to be a passive wife that wants to please Iago. Iago is nearly impossible to please and Emilia falls a victim to that throughout the first half of the play. By the time Emilia seems to be fed up with Iago's temperament  Desdemona is found dead. This is the first time in the play where Emilia's change is noticed. Emilia went from being afraid to stand up for herself to yelling at Othello for believing Desdemona was unfaithful to him. When Emilia is brought to this rage, she begins to confess what she knows about the events of the play. Othello mentions he heard of his wife's unfaithfulness from Iago. Emilia is able to come from being a partner in innocently aiding Iago to being honest about what she has done. In this sense, Emilia and Iago have become each other with Iago being a lier and Emilia reveling herself to be honest. Also, this can characterize Emilia and Iago as somewhat of foil characters to one another throughout the play as Emilia finds herself changing.