Character in Othello
Emilia ♀ female
245Lines Spoken
2.1First Scene
5.2Last Scene
6.9%Of Play Dialogue
Emilia is the #5 largest role in Othello, speaking 245 lines (6.9% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 2 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Emilia shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Emilia’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iago | 1,098 | 30.9% |
| 2 | Othello | 887 | 24.9% |
| 3 | Desdemona | 388 | 10.9% |
| 4 | Cassio | 277 | 7.8% |
| 5 | Emilia (this role) | 245 | 6.9% |
| 6 | Brabantio | 139 | 3.9% |
| 7 | Roderigo | 114 | 3.2% |
| 8 | Lodovico | 76 | 2.1% |
| 9 | Duke Of Venice | 73 | 2.1% |
| 10 | Montano | 61 | 1.7% |
How Emilia’s dialogue distributes across the play
Emilia’s dramatic peak falls in Act 4 with 91 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 2, Scene 1): “You have little cause to say so.”
Representative speech (Act 5, Scene 2): “[Within] O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!”
Who Emilia shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Othello | 7 |
| Iago | 7 |
| Cassio | 6 |
| Desdemona | 6 |
| Lodovico | 3 |
| Roderigo | 3 |
| Clown | 2 |
| Montano | 2 |
| Gratiano | 2 |
| Bianca | 2 |
Questions about Emilia
Is Emilia the lead role in Othello?
Emilia is ranked #5 by line count among 28 speaking characters in Othello — a major role carrying 6.9% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Emilia’s longest scene?
Act 5 Scene 2, where Emilia speaks 87 lines.
Who does Emilia speak to the most?
Emilia shares the most scenes with Othello — 7 scenes together across Othello.