Emilia is a character in the
tragedy Othello by
William Shakespeare. The character's origin is traced to the 1565 tale, "Un capitano Moro" from
Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's
Gli Hecatommithi. There, the character is described as young and virtuous, is referred to simply as the ensign's wife, and becomes Desdemona's companion in
Cyprus. In Shakespeare, she is named Emilia, is the wife of
Othello's ensign,
Iago, and is an attendant to Othello's wife,
Desdemona. While considered a minor character in the drama, she has been portrayed by several notable actresses on film, with one receiving an
Academy Award nomination for her performance.