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Difficulty: HardContrasting Characters and Foils

Read the following excerpt from Act IV, Scene 3 of William Shakespeare’s tragedy *Othello* carefully before choosing your answer:

DESDEMONA
Dost thou in conscience think,—tell me, Emilia,—
That there be women do abuse their husbands
In such gross kind?

EMILIA
There be some such, no question.

DESDEMONA
Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?

EMILIA
Why, would not you?

DESDEMONA
No, by this heavenly light!

EMILIA
Nor I neither by this heavenly light;
I might do't as well i' the dark.

DESDEMONA
Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?

EMILIA
The world's a huge thing: it is a great price
For a small vice.

DESDEMONA
In troth, I think thou wouldst not.

EMILIA
By my troth, I think I should; and undo't when I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring, nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition; but for the whole world,—why, who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for't.

In the passage, the dialogue between Desdemona and Emilia functions primarily to establish a contrast that does which of the following?

  1. A
    demonstrates Emilia's underlying hostility toward Desdemona, foreshadowing Emilia's eventual betrayal of her mistress to Iago
  2. B
    details the specific household grievances and economic hardships that typical Renaissance wives experienced in their marriages
  3. reinforces Desdemona's absolute commitment to abstract moral ideals, thereby highlighting the tragic vulnerability of her innocence in a compromised worldAnswer
  4. D
    presents a moral division where Desdemona represents absolute righteousness and Emilia represents absolute corruption, creating a simple didactic conflict
  5. E
    serves to directly communicate the playwright's personal condemnation of domestic betrayal and the moral decline of Venetian society

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that the dialogue reinforces Desdemona's absolute commitment to abstract moral ideals, thereby highlighting the tragic vulnerability of her innocence in a compromised world.
The correct answer is the option stating that the dialogue reinforces Desdemona's absolute commitment to abstract moral ideals, thereby highlighting the tragic vulnerability of her innocence in a compromised world. In this scene, Desdemona's high-minded disbelief that any woman would commit adultery contrasts sharply with Emilia's pragmatic and transactional view of morality. This contrast functions as a foil; by placing Desdemona's pure, unwavering virtue against Emilia's realistic compromises, the play highlights how Desdemona's extreme purity translates into a dangerous naivety. Because she cannot even conceptualize such moral failings, she remains completely blind to the deception and malice surrounding her, accelerating her tragic fate.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the character traits exhibited by Desdemona and Emilia in the excerpt.
Desdemona is shown to be highly idealistic, unable to even conceive of a woman abusing her husband. Emilia is shown to be pragmatic, viewing fidelity in terms of real-world value and cost-benefit trade-offs (e.g., 'a small vice' for 'the whole world').
Understanding the immediate character traits is necessary to identify how their perspectives differ.
2
Determine how the contrast between these two perspectives functions within the wider context of the drama.
By placing Desdemona's pure, unyielding moral idealism directly alongside Emilia's street-smart pragmatism, the scene functions to cast Desdemona's innocence not just as a virtue, but as a dangerous vulnerability. Her inability to comprehend moral compromise highlights how ill-equipped she is to navigate or anticipate the deceptive, cynical plots of characters like Iago.
This step identifies the function of the foil character, moving from simple contrast to the thematic and structural significance of that contrast.
3
Evaluate the options to identify which choice correctly describes this characterological and thematic function.
The choice stating that the contrast reinforces Desdemona's absolute commitment to abstract moral ideals, thereby highlighting the tragic vulnerability of her innocence, accurately explains the foil relationship.
Aligning the analysis with the correct option ensures the final answer selection is sound.

Key Concept

Contrasting Characters and Foils
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Contrasting Characters and Foils

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