What comment do you believe Shakespeare might be trying to make about the relationships between men and women through Emilia’s speech at the end of Act Four? How does Emilia’s speech contrast Desdemona’s beliefs about the relationships between men and…

Emilia pronounces what seems like a theme of the play, up until this point; "let husbands know, their wives have sense like them Šthey see, and smell, and have their palates both for sweet and sour, just as their husbands have" (IV.iii.96-99). Indeed, this is one of the reasons why Othello is so angry with Desdemona; the thought that she could have desire in her, just as he does, bewilders and angers him. That she could have opinions and ideas independent of his own, especially about Cassio and his rightful place, also upset him. Othello is good at heart, but he cannot reconcile himself with the idea that Desdemona might be as human and as independent as he is, although the sudden shift of characterization in this scene belies this somewhat.