She and her husband have no children, which leads me to speculate about the health of their sex life. Maybe this is why Iago despises Emilia. Maybe she is unable to bear a child which makes Iago have no use for her. It is unclear of the age of Emilia, but I believe that she is over the age of forty due to knowledgeable dialogue she has with Desdemona. From beginning to end, Emilia progresses from obedient, quiet wife to a strong-willed woman that is outspoken and bold. Shakespeare incorporates his own beliefs about the roles of women. Emilia is a depiction of some women who were beginning to develop their new adjusted roles in society.
Emilia appears to contradict all the things Iago claims to know about women. She does this by displaying a quiet and calm demeanor at all times. In act II, Iago states,.
"give you so much of her lips/ as of her tongue she off bestows on me/you would have enough." The words spoken by Iago displays Emilia of being a harping wife and that she does not know her place in society. He also attempt to frame Emilia to be a deceitful woman. But with composure and grace she says, "Shall not write praise." She shows that she is not a part of Iago's misunderstanding of women and maintains her charming aura of femininity. For most of Act II Emilia remains quiet; this contradicts her husband's claims. .
As the play progresses so does Emilia's outspoken personality. Although she has not yet spoken out in front of men, she did not hesitate to speak her mind to Desdemona. The "willow song" scene in Act IV is the only scene in which Emilia and Desdemona are alone for a long period of time. This was a moment for speaking thoughts between two women who were venting by the censoring presence of men. Before this scene Othello had 'struck' Desdemona. Into this sad atmosphere, breaks Emilia's perspective on society's double standard.
