Jealousy In Othello Research Paper

Since its inception circa 1200, the term jealousy has disguised itself in a number of names. When referencing the historic origins, jealousy can be located throughout the course of time from the Old French gelus, meaning suspicious and possessive, to the Late Latin zealosus, or even the Swedish word svartsjuka which literally translates to skin-sick. The word itself has a reputation of turning friend against friend and husband against wife regardless of a scrupulous ascertainment or merely one in passing through whispered gossip. Despite its ill repute, or perhaps with the intent to fuel it, authors around the world employ envy to do their bidding in all forms of media. Making jealousy the cornerstone in a number of works, William Shakespeare is infamous for tearing beloved characters apart through want of what another possesses. In one such
After enduring whispers of his wife’s infidelity for a number of days, the noble and formerly invulnerable general succumbed to his envious disgust. When a jealous nature was allowed to consume the most truthful sense of honor found in Othello, the character that was introduced in the first act was defeated, leaving behind a terrible shell with little more in common with the original that appearance. With such a strength backing it, one may go so far as to state that it was truly the green-eyed monster formed by Iago that killed the fair and honest Desdemona.
In Othello, jealousy takes hold in distinct stages, consuming an ounce of a characters soul in each. That which was initially held innocent had the tendency towards terrible things as it twisted characters’ minds towards corruption throughout the duration of the play. While it may not hold physical form, envy has the power to control beings from the inside in a way that few things truly can. Jealousy has been adapted in many cultures, but not one has developed the panacea for