Already corrupted as friends exploit and betray each

already corrupted as friends exploit and betray each other. As Othello begins, romantic love
already dominates, but friendship is reasserted in perverted form. Iago's hypocritical friendship
for all of the men, which aims to gratify his own will and gain power over them, is the model for
male friendship in the play. Brabantio's "love" for Othello evaporates when his friend marries his
daughter. Roderigo intends to use Iago though he is worse used by him. Othello has no hesitation
in cashiering Cassio and ordering his death. The men's vanity and rivalry, their preoccupation

with rank and reputation, and their cowardice render them as incapable of friendship as they are
of love.
The women, in contrast, are indifferent to reputation and partially free of vanity, jealousy, and
competitiveness. Desdemona's willingness "to incur a general mock" is evident in her elopement
and her defense of it, and in her request to go to Cyprus. Emilia braves scorn to defend her
mistress, "Let heaven, and men, and devils, let 'em all, / All, all cry shame against me, yet I'll
speak" (5.2.222–23). If Cassio's description of Bianca corresponds at all to fact, she too ignores
reputation, comically, to pursue him—"she haunts me in every place … she falls thus about my
neck; … so hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me" (4.1.131–36)—and we see her brave the
confusion of the night and the ugliness of Iago's insinuations to come to Cassio's side when he is
wounded. Bianca's jealousy is also in contrast to the men's; instead of corroding within, it is
quickly vented and dissipates, leaving her affection for Cassio essentially unchanged.
Furthermore, she makes no effort to discover her rival, to obtain "proof," or to get revenge.
Likewise Emilia, though expert at noting and analyzing jealousy, seems untouched by it herself.
Even her argument for the single standard is good-natured; it contains little hatred of men and no
personal animosity toward Iago.
Desdemona is neither jealous nor envious nor suspicious. She is not suspicious or possessive
about Othello's job, his intimacy with Iago, or his "love" for Cassio, but supports all three. She
seems entirely lacking in the sense of class, race, rank, and hierarchy that concerns the men and
is shared by Emilia, who refuses to be identified with Bianca. She treats her father, the Duke,
Othello, Cassio, Iago, Emilia, even the clown, with precisely the same combination of politeness,
generosity, openness, and firmness. Emilia's and Desdemona's lack of competitiveness, jealousy,
and class consciousness facilitates their growing intimacy, which culminates in the willow scene.
The scene, sandwiched between two exchanges of Iago and Roderigo, sharply contrasts the
genuine intimacy of the women with the hypocritical friendship of the men, while underlining
the women's isolation and powerlessness. Emilia's concern for Desdemona is real, and her advice
well meant, whereas Iago's concern for Roderigo is feigned, his advice deadly—"whether he kill
Cassio, / Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, / Every way makes my game" (5.1.12–14).

Roderigo accepts Iago's "satisfying reasons," finding them sufficient to justify murder;