Women and Extramarital Affairs-Othello 5.1.82-101 : But I do think it is their husband's faults.."

Emilia is speaking to Desdemona in this passage about the double standard imposed on women in the arena of extramarital affairs. Desdemona has been discussing how no earthly temptation could ever lead her to cheat on her husband and Emilia is claiming that though adultery is not the ideal, if it brings a certain benefit to you, how can it be completely wrong? To prove her point she uses men as the primary example, explaining how it is the husband's fault when a woman cheats. Emilia argues that when a woman commits adultery, there must be a problem with the husband which would compel the wife to seek another man’s company.
Emilia also brings up the double standard of how men are allowed to cheat on their wives with no fear of punishment, while women must simply bear this treatment and suffer should they cheat. Emilia states “though we have some grace,/Yet have we some revenge” (90-91). Women are not merely senseless beings who should and will put up with their husband’s poor behavior, but feeling humans who will desire to seek out the same pleasures as men.
This passage brings up a surprisingly feminist standpoint in a play as well as a society dominated by the wills and actions of men. We cannot necessarily infer from this passage that Shakespeare would have agreed with Emilia’s belief that a woman has as much right as a man to indulge in extramarital relationships should her husband neglect or mistreat her, but he does set up an extremely viable and modernist argument concerning women’s rights and gender boundaries.

Taylor Price