Examples Of Jealousy In Othello

Love, Jealousy and Power
Love, jealousy and power. A deadly combination, some would say. The American Players Theatre production of Othello emphasized these themes, making it relatable to the audience. Othello has been performed for centuries with many different interpretations. The American Players Theatre production of Othello directed by John Lang shows the harmful influence of power, and how it leads to deception and corruption. By highlighting universal themes of love, jealousy, and power, the American Players Theatre production of Othello made this play relatable to a modern day audience.
For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of this play was the set. John Lang’s choice of a minimalist stage allows the audience to focus on the themes in the play, allowing the audience to focus on the characters without the distraction of a large set. Without this distraction, the audience was able to see the amazing character development within the play. Othello, once an honorable man, eventually went so far as to kill his loving and devoted wife, all because of rumors and lies. The simple stage allowed us as an audience to notice details, mainly because there weren’t that many details on the
stage. This stripped-down set allowed the audience to catch a glimpse of the most important themes in the play: power and corruption. The amazing acting and creative interpretations really showed the complexity of this play beautifully. At the heart of APT’s Othello is deception. Iago, the play’s villain, hid his true feelings of Othello in order to get close to him and eventually seek revenge for another’s promotion. Throughout the play Iago states that he is a loyal devoted servant to Othello while secretly orchestrating Othello’s demise. He acts as one of Othello’s confidants, and subtlely used his influence to cause Othello to doubt his wife’s fidelity. Like a snake in the garden, Iago poisoned what seemed like a perfect marriage. He ruined a seemingly perfect marriage with whispers of infidelity and fabricated evidence in Othello’s ear. Othello had absolutely no idea of this deceit, continually calling Iago honest even though he clearly was the cause of his woes. As the play progressed, Othello slowly began to unravel. His clothing changed; he started showing more skin and less armor, exposing the fragile man inside. He had a disheveled, unbuttoned look on him when he was distressed. He acted feverishly and had terribly rash decisions, like hitting his wife in public, or eventually killing her. I really appreciated these subtle changes: It not only provided visual stimulation, but also showed the director’s understanding of the play. He chose to highlight this aspect, and did it in such a tasteful, yet subtle way. Iago’s lust for power eventually corrupted the Moor. He initially was upset that Othello promoted Cassio, a man with no battle experience, over him for a position in the military. Because of this snub, Iago began a plot for revenge. By being in Othello’s favor, he gained his trust and had sensitive information passed throughout the play. Indeed, he was the one to plant the seed of adultery in Othello’s mind. He was the one to place the handkerchief in Cassio’s bedroom. He orchestrated this entire event. Iago’s pride and lust for power caused the deaths of so many noble people: Othello, Desdemona, Emilia, and Roderigo. He murdered his own wife, the person who he is to love unconditionally, because of this thirst for power and revenge. He even murders his best friend, Roderigo--the man that has been at his side the whole time--because he was not useful to him anymore. Othello becomes more like Iago--and to an extent, the Italians--because of Iago’s influence on the Moor. Othello, who once dressed in brighter, less shielded clothing, started to conform and wear black leather clothing--similar to Iago. Othello lost his identity because Iago slowly began chipping it away from him.
Over time, Othello’s views on women drastically changed.
Iago’s influence and mistreatment of his own wife caused Othello’s mistreatment. When Desdemona and Othello eloped, everyone believed that Othello had bewitched her to disrespect her father’s wishes. Iago allowed his wife to be verbally accosted by his men, and kissed by many during the travel to Cyprus. The toxic environment Iago created caused Othello to stop believing his wife was faithful. APT’s interpretation emphasized this change, in a heart-wrenching way, because the audience feel Othello’s pain. His acting was so relatable because everyone has been jealous at some point in their lives. Jealousy and doubt have touched everyone at some point, and seeing this brought to life brings back memories of people’s
jealousy. The American Players Theatre production of Othello stripped the play down to its bare bones, exposing the strongest themes which the play is based on. With its clever use of space and clothing, the changes within every character was able to be observed. Although the play dragged on in some parts, the production was spot on. Its portrayal of love, jealousy, and power all still have relevance today, and that’s why it is one of Shakespeare’s most performed works to date.