Othello Essay Example on Jealousy
Othello How is Othello and the theme of jealousy present in Act 3 Scene 2 and Act 3 Scene 3?!
Othello is a much respected Shakespearean play for a host of reasons not least because by setting it in a different country he was able to tackle stereotypes which may have offended English audiences of his day. His portrayal of Othello sensationalised black people, making them just as capable as whites of a wide range of characteristics, emotions, flaws and frailties. This was alien to audiences of the time who believed that black people were one dimensional, either good or bad. However, jealousy is arguably the most powerful theme being interweaved throughout the play and crucial in understanding the demise of the noble and respected Othello as well as his relationship with Desdemona and Iago. Jealousy is a state of fear, suspicion, revenge or envy called by a real or imagined threat or challenge; displaying that Othello becomes this character from Iago the manipulative Machiavellian.
As Jealousy is apparent in Othello, the tragedy focuses on the doom of Othello and other major characters as a result of jealousy. Jealousy is portrayed through the major characters of Iago and Othello. It utterly corrupts their lives because it causes Iago to show his true self, which in turn triggers Othello to undergo an absolute conversion that destroys the lives of their friends. It is jealousy that prompts Iago to plot Othello's downfall; jealousy, too, is the tool that Iago uses to arouse Othello's passions. Roderigo and Bianca demonstrate jealousy at various times in the play, and Emilia demonstrates that she too knows the emotion well. Only Desdemona and Cassio, the true innocents of the story, seem beyond its clutches. Shakespeare used the theme in other plays, but nowhere else is it portrayed as quite the "green- eyed" monster it is in this play. Since it is an emotion that everyone shares, we watch its destructive influence on the characters with sympathy and horror.
Othello is a much respected Shakespearean play for a host of reasons not least because by setting it in a different country he was able to tackle stereotypes which may have offended English audiences of his day. His portrayal of Othello sensationalised black people, making them just as capable as whites of a wide range of characteristics, emotions, flaws and frailties. This was alien to audiences of the time who believed that black people were one dimensional, either good or bad. However, jealousy is arguably the most powerful theme being interweaved throughout the play and crucial in understanding the demise of the noble and respected Othello as well as his relationship with Desdemona and Iago. Jealousy is a state of fear, suspicion, revenge or envy called by a real or imagined threat or challenge; displaying that Othello becomes this character from Iago the manipulative Machiavellian.
As Jealousy is apparent in Othello, the tragedy focuses on the doom of Othello and other major characters as a result of jealousy. Jealousy is portrayed through the major characters of Iago and Othello. It utterly corrupts their lives because it causes Iago to show his true self, which in turn triggers Othello to undergo an absolute conversion that destroys the lives of their friends. It is jealousy that prompts Iago to plot Othello's downfall; jealousy, too, is the tool that Iago uses to arouse Othello's passions. Roderigo and Bianca demonstrate jealousy at various times in the play, and Emilia demonstrates that she too knows the emotion well. Only Desdemona and Cassio, the true innocents of the story, seem beyond its clutches. Shakespeare used the theme in other plays, but nowhere else is it portrayed as quite the "green- eyed" monster it is in this play. Since it is an emotion that everyone shares, we watch its destructive influence on the characters with sympathy and horror.