Preview

Jealousy In Othello Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
916 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Jealousy In Othello Essay
William Shakespeare is a writer who is famous for his many works. One of his works is the well-known play, Othello. The play Othello is a tragedy about a highly renowned general of the Venetian army, where his life, marriage, and overall well-being is destroyed by an envious soldier named Iago. The main character Othello displays the effects what love, jealousy, and betrayal can do to a person. All of these characteristics in the play help set a tragic tone to the story. Jealousy plays a major key role in the play Othello. During the duration of the play, there is a large number of scenes where Othello displays the destructive emotion of jealousy. Throughout the play, jealousy is shown as a destruction method that Iago used on Othello to try to confuse him and disarray his emotional state. An example of how …show more content…
Later in the story the audience learns that Iago had been persuading his wife Emilia, who is Desdemona's attendant, to steal Desdemona’s handkerchief. After that, Desdemona accidently dropped the handkerchief and Emilia found it and gave it to her husband without knowing that he had a sinister plan in mind of what he was going to use it for. Iago plan was to take Desdemona’s handkerchief and put it in Cassio’s chamber to act as if Desdemona had been going behind Othello’s back. Iago’s plan was to slowly become the culprit of Othello’s demise. “Ideas can be like poisons. At first they hardly even taste bad, but once they get into your blood they start burning like hot lava” (Othello pp. In this line Iago is trying to explain how his words of deceit will ultimately destroy Othello like “hot lava”. After Iago moved the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Envy is known as one of the seven deadly sins for its ability to corrupt those who experience it. Similarly, jealousy can have a similar effect on people, especially when they decide to act on it. Although both envy and jealousy seem extremely similar, there is a fine line separating the two. Darlene Lancer mentions in her article, “How Insecurity Leads to Envy, Jealousy, and Shame,” that envy is a “feeling of discontent… with regard to someone’s advantages, possessions, or traits such as beauty, success, or talent.” Envy usually stems from feelings of inferiority. In contrast, whereas envy is “the desire to possess what someone else has,” jealousy is defined as the “fear of losing what we have” (Lancer).…

    • 1936 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The English language owes a lot to Shakespeare. He invented over 1700 of our common words by changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never before used together, and adding prefixes and suffixes. William Shakespeare has become the most famous and influential author in English literature. He was only active as a writer for a quarter of a century. He wrote thirty eight plays, one hundred fifty-four sonnets.…

    • 290 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Othello the theme jealously is widely explored by two key main characters - Iago and Othello. Iago even admits '...and oft my jealousy,' Act 3, Scene 3 - 148. Othello never openly admits to his own and even in his last speech he says '...one not easily jealous.' Act 5, Scene 2 - 344-7. Jealousy is shown in the play Othello as a sickness and is often referred to as a 'green eyed monster,' Act 3, Scene 3 - 168. The jealously comes from numerous areas - the want for power - 'I follow him to serve my turn upon him,' Act 1, Scene 1 - 42, the concept that a white man should be above a black man, cuckolding - 'I will chop her into messes. Cuckold me!' Act 4, Scene 1 - 188, homosexuality and envy.…

    • 610 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Out of revenge, Iago successfully planted the seeds of jealousy into Othello's mind when in the garden he insinuated that Cassio and Desdemona were having an affair. Iago implied that he would use Cassio to make Othello jealous because Othello chose Cassio over him to be a second command man because Cassio was more experience than he was. Desdemona and Cassio knew each other before she knew Othello because he worked for Othello before. Iago implied that he was going to make Othello look like a fool by having Desdemona cheat on him with Cassio. Iago never directly said Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair but he was going to make Othello think they were having affair by using the strawberry embroidered handkerchief that Othello gave to her. He manipulated Othello until he thought of revenge. Once it did Iago told Othello to “Beware of Jealousy.” Iago successful and planting his first seeds of jealousy into the mind of Othello.…

    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jealousy In Othello

    • 424 Words
    • 2 Pages

    It has been 400 years since Shakespeare has written his last play but his messages are still relevant to today’s context as he touches upon timeless issues such as racism, sexism, honor, bravery, vengeance, identity, hate, manipulation and jealousy which are issues we face now. I am going to be expanding upon the topic of jealousy.…

    • 424 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jealousy in Othello

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Othello's jealousy against Desdemona is perhaps the strongest emotion incurred in the play. The jealousy he experiences turns him insane with rage, and he loses all ability to see reason. The first instance that instills doubt in Othello's mind is Brabantio's warning "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:/She has deceived her father, and may thee" (1.3.292-293). This early seed of doubt allows Iago to play on Othello's jealous nature, and concoct a plan to take advantage of Othello. Iago slowly leaks his poison into Othello and soon has the result he desires, Othello is overcome with jealousy. Othello continuously denies his jealousy, but it is apparent that he is losing his mind with the thought of Desdemona's unfaithfulness. He speaks to Iago saying "No Iago;/I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;/And on the proof, there is no more but this,--/Away at once with love or jealousy!" (3.3.189-192) The fact that he believes that his wife is unfaithful with only insinuations put forth by Iago shows the fact that he is prone to jealousy. Soon after, with Iago's "help" he believes to see undeniable proof that Desdemona is unfaithful with the loss of the handkerchief. Othello experiences jealousy so strong that he delves…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Shakespeare expands the emotional and intellectual horizons of his audience using Othello as a medium to convey his purpose of jealousy. It takes the audience on a journey in which they learn of the castigations of jealousy. In Elizabethan times, the world was dominated by men and women were seen as inferior. Women were seen as untrustworthy and this view was reflected as jealousy in male relationships. Shakespeare highlights the dangers of jealousy using Othello’s tragic flaw: his blind and absolute trust in men. He shows that once they are jealous, men are easily manipulated and lose all ability to use logic or reason. Throughout the play, Shakespeare shows the audience how easy it is for jealousy to be fuelled by circumstantial evidence. It is easy to manipulate others using circumstantial evidence, especially to make them jealous. Shakespeare’s Othello contains a didactic warning, telling the audience of the volatile nature of jealousy. Shakespeare seeks to explain how minor flaws in human character can ultimately lead to the fall of great men, which is a characteristic of many Shakespearian tragedies. He is taking the audience on their journey through the exploration of the concepts and themes of jealousy.…

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jealousy Quotes In Othello

    • 1023 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “Jealousy, a very powerful characteristic which is present in every human being on this planet, this attribute leads to negative events which can destroy relationships and consume the mind this can simply turn into anger and overcome the victim and make them do things that are not in their power. This is not absent in Othello and is shown constantly throughout the play. This trait has been shown within every character in different ways and are all victims of this of this attribute. Jealousy is the motivating force behind the vengeful actions taken by Iago. Jealousy creates power struggles, his mistrust between his and his loved ones and results in him losing what he loves the most”…

    • 1023 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “ Get me some poison, Iago; this night! I’ll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovid my mind again.” Iago’s manipulation is so great that Othello would kill the one he loved so much. Ruthless Iago knew that the only way to make the situation much worse was to convince Othello to murder his beloved with his bare hands. This away he could not get away with this action and he thought this would bring Othello to his own grave. So, Iago said “Do it not with poison, strangle her in the bed, even the bed she hath contaminated.”…

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Othellos Jealousy

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the power of jealousy dominates the play; at first, it’s Iago who is stricken with jealousy, when Othello appoints Cassio as his new lieutenant. Iago states, “And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds…must be beleed and calmed by debitor and creditor,”(I.i.29-32) after finding out he will be an ancient instead of a lieutenant. These words he has spoken show jealousy on his part because he wanted the lieutenant position and it has been given to someone with less experience in the field. Because of this green-eyed monster, envy, Iago decides to ruin Othello’s marriage and other devious things that come to his mind.…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Othello a Tragic Hero

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In the play Othello, many of the characters have jealousy which is causing them to commit acts outside of their normal personalities. Iago, Emilia, Bianca, Roderigo and Othello all display jealousy throughout the play, though each finds resolution in a different way. Othello's jealousy against Desdemona is the strongest emotion in the play. The jealousy he experiences turns him insane with anger, and he loses all ability to see reasons. The first instance that instills doubt in Othello's mind is Brabantio's warning that one day Desdemona will deceive him just like she does to her father. This doubt allows Iago to use Othello's jealousy, and plan to take advantage of Othello. Iago gradually leaks his poison into Othello and soon has the result he desires. Othello is overcome with jealousy. Othello continuously denies his jealousy, but it is apparent that he is losing his mind with the…

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Jealous is a reoccurring theme in history and today. Jealousy can be helpful because it can prompt people to achieve greater feats, like Microsoft’s competition with Apple. Microsoft’s jealousy of the Ipad sparked their creation of the new tablet computer. In the late fifteenth century, western Europeans were jealous of the literature and technological advances of the Arabs. These jealous feelings potentially initiated the commencement of the Renaissance. This revived interest in writing and literature brought in authors like Shakespeare to write about common themes and verisimilitudes of the everyday renaissance life. This theme of jealousy can be expressed in the drama Othello written by William…

    • 1473 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Love and Jealousy The play Othello written by William Shakespeare follows Othello who is betrayed by his best friend Iago. Iago’s manipulation causes Othello's jealousy and effectively destroys the King of Moore’s life. Jealousy is a central theme in the play Othello because not only does it cause the protagonist’s death but it is also the motivation for Iago’s betrayal.…

    • 352 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jealousy had been described as “a kind of civil war in the soul, where judgment and imagination are at perpetual jars.” In many of Shakespeare’s tragedies, he showcases fundamental human emotions as the main themes that ruin his character’s lives. One of the most prominent themes in all of his plays, and more specifically Othello, is how jealousy can ultimately cause a character’s downfall. This play tells the story of how a jealous officer named Iago feels wronged after his commanding officer Othello, does not give him a promotion. This then causes him to set out to destroy Othello’s life and marriage by using Othello’s fatal flaw, jealousy, against him.…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Othello

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Iago’s plan to convince Othello is fairly simple, yet deceptively genius at the same time. He begins by subtly planting the idea in Othello’s head, and letting his imagination run wild. Iago realizes, however, that he will need to present physical evidence to Othello in order to for him to kill Desdemona. He manages to plant her handkerchief that Othello gave her as a symbol of their love in Cassio’s bed. The evidence of the handkerchief causes Othello to make his final decision: Desdemona must be killed. Iago also decides to put the other end of his plan into motion and convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio.…

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays