Othello Essayy
sayAhnna Jinhye Kim
Ms. Lue
ENG3U1-01
18 April 2013
Jealousy in Othello; the Cause of Chaos
Jealousy can be found everywhere around us. Between the ones we love, or even between the ones we hate. Jealousy may also serve different purposes. It can be used as building blocks to build up the relationship, but it can act as a hurricane and blow everything down. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the namesake protagonist’s tragic flaws are possessiveness, insecurity, and loyalty, which fail to serve his ability to see past his feelings.
Othello’s first tragic flaw is possessiveness. Othello was a high-ranking soldier who worked in the army, which would have increased his masculinity in comparison to other men. This may be a reason for developing the idea of men being greater and more powerful than women. This idea of him being at a higher level may have resulted him into thinking that he possessed Desdemona, and that nobody else could have her if he could not. “Sexual possessiveness come from male personality traits, and that the traditional perception of masculinity indicates that male has full power, and control, which runs counter to his dependency upon his wife”(Ben Zeev). Othello explains that the reason he killed Desdemona was because of her affair with Cassio.“Ay with Cassio, Had he been true, If heaven would make me such another world Of one entire and perfect chrysolite, I’d not have sold her for it” (5. 2. 155~158). He ended up killing Desdemona because of his possessiveness. If she loved Cassio then she needs to be killed, even though he tells Emilia that he loved Desdemona so much that he would not have traded her for anything in the world.
Othello’s envious emotion overpowered his actions, not just because of his possessive attribute, but also because of his insecurity. Othello was different than everyone else in Venice and Cyprus. Because was a Moor, he was constantly bashed upon with racial comments and was treated unfair because of his race.
Ms. Lue
ENG3U1-01
18 April 2013
Jealousy in Othello; the Cause of Chaos
Jealousy can be found everywhere around us. Between the ones we love, or even between the ones we hate. Jealousy may also serve different purposes. It can be used as building blocks to build up the relationship, but it can act as a hurricane and blow everything down. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the namesake protagonist’s tragic flaws are possessiveness, insecurity, and loyalty, which fail to serve his ability to see past his feelings.
Othello’s first tragic flaw is possessiveness. Othello was a high-ranking soldier who worked in the army, which would have increased his masculinity in comparison to other men. This may be a reason for developing the idea of men being greater and more powerful than women. This idea of him being at a higher level may have resulted him into thinking that he possessed Desdemona, and that nobody else could have her if he could not. “Sexual possessiveness come from male personality traits, and that the traditional perception of masculinity indicates that male has full power, and control, which runs counter to his dependency upon his wife”(Ben Zeev). Othello explains that the reason he killed Desdemona was because of her affair with Cassio.“Ay with Cassio, Had he been true, If heaven would make me such another world Of one entire and perfect chrysolite, I’d not have sold her for it” (5. 2. 155~158). He ended up killing Desdemona because of his possessiveness. If she loved Cassio then she needs to be killed, even though he tells Emilia that he loved Desdemona so much that he would not have traded her for anything in the world.
Othello’s envious emotion overpowered his actions, not just because of his possessive attribute, but also because of his insecurity. Othello was different than everyone else in Venice and Cyprus. Because was a Moor, he was constantly bashed upon with racial comments and was treated unfair because of his race.
Cited: Love. Psychology Today, 20 June 2008. Web. November 6, 2012 <psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-name-of-love> Carol Thomas Neely. “Women and Men in Othello” Gale. 1985, Web. November 6, 2012 <www.galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRc?> Wilder, Calleen. “Finding Your Purpose” aMystic. Web. November 6, 2012 <www.amystic.com>