There is a song in the third scene. But it is a sad and ironic song. The song does not lighten the mood or ease the tension of the play. Desdemona sings this song about a woman whose lover was mad and abandoned her (lines 26-27). The song, then, parallels Desdemona’s very own situation. Throughout the song is the repetition of the word willow. The willow tree was a standard symbol of disappointed love during the Renaissance.
After the song the innocent Desdemona, who would never dream of being unfaithful to her husband, asks Emilia if she believes that there really are such cruel women who would be untrue to their husbands. The more experienced Emilia tells her that there are such women; she adds that she herself would be untrue “for all the world” (62). In other words, she would be unfaithful if the reward were large enough. Emilia explains, “Who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for’t” (73-75). Emilia is stating that if she could make herself and her husband wealthy enough to live like a king and a queen, the act of committing one sin, the sin of adultery, would be worth it. Emilia does not think adultery is a serious sin. She believes she might go to purgatory for it, but not hell. According to early Christian belief, purgatory is a middle ground between heaven and hell in the afterlife. Sinners who are not really evil people are placed there to atone for their sins (or to be punished for their sins) for a hundred years or maybe a thousand years before they are finally able to go to heaven. Emilia disagrees with the standard Christian beliefs. According to Christianity, adultery is a mortal sin. According to the Ten
Commandments (the laws of God that were given to Moses and that form the foundation of Christianity), adultery is forbidden. So, Christian leaders would say that adulterers will end up in hell. But Emilia is not even certain that adultery is such a serious sin that she would even end up in purgatory. She thinks she might still be able to get into heaven even if she does commit this sin.
Emilia’s assertion here suggests an interesting view of Renaissance society. Emilia was certainly not the only one to reinterpret Christian thinking to suit her own personal beliefs. Such thinking may have been quite common. In a lengthy speech, Emilia defends her position (lines 82-101). This speech is a splendid example of pro-feminist literature and thus provides a first-rate contrast to her husband Iago’s anti-feminist commentary. Emilia argues that if husbands can frequently commit adultery without much criticism as to it being immoral or sinful, then such action by wives should not be considered to be so terrible either. Women, Emilia declares, have the same emotions and desires as do men. She adds, “The ills we do, their ills instruct us so” (101). She is saying that the wives are committing this sin because their husbands do. Emilia is arguing that women should be treated and judged equally to men. But, moreover, Emilia may be revealing information about herself and her own relationship with Iago.