Analysis of Jealousy in William Shakespeare's Othello
Jealousy is described as someone who is feeling or showing envy of someone because of their achievements and advantages. Jealousy plays a major role in Shakespeare’s play Othello. There are many instances throughout the play that show jealousy between the characters. Throughout the play, jealousy is used for destructive purposes only. I believe that Iago longed to get revenge on Othello for previous issues. This only results in a long line of accusations and disputes between the characters in Othello.
In Othello, one of the most significant scenes that portrays jealousy is when Roderigo uses Iago to get closer to Desdemona. It doesn’t seem as though Iago really wanted Desdemona, he was merely attempting to get revenge on Othello...
It causes people to do terrible things because once it is on a person’s conscience, it stays for quite some time. Because of these effects, jealousy can impact some of the strongest people, such as Othello. The love between Desdemona and Othello was portrayed so elevated and pure and was filled with religious words and phrases that just added to the strength and sanctity of their love. Othello has such a strong mind, but jealousy caused by the manipulation of Iago, negatively impacts him. Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with his friend Cassio.
The play, Othello is one of the most famous tragedies composed by William Shakespeare during the Renaissance period. It powerfully portrays a world where the acts of evil ultimately vanquishes fidelity, nobility and integrity. The central themes jealousy and manipulation embodies the foretold tragedies and the downfall tragedies of the characters due to one’s insecurities. Through the use of literary techniques and figurative language, Shakespeare has effectively explored the themes of jealousy and manipulation.
In Othello, the jealousy factor is deliberately introduced by Iago, with the precise intention of destroying those whom he feels have wronged him. Since it is intentionally used with malicious intent, it has catastrophic results. Iago himself is jealous of Cassio; he feels that he should have been appointed to Cassio's position by Othello, and since he wasn't he hates both Othello and Cassio. Iago channels the jealousy that Othello and Cassio have made him feel, and uses it against them in a hateful plan. Iago starts the process by planting the seeds of jealousy in Othello's mind, telling him Desdemona has been unfaithful. He then proceeds to cultivate the growing jealousy by feeding it with more lies, and twisting innocent events into situations which would serve his needs (his telling Othello that Cassio and Desdemona met in secret, and convincing him that Desdemona vied for Cassio's reinstatement as lieutenant because she loved him, for example). When the seeds had flourished, and Iago had succeeded in driving Othello mad with jealousy, Iago harvested his crop and convinced Othello to kill Desdemona. Othello's killing Desdemona would both rid Iago of Desde...
Jealousy and manipulation go hand in hand. In some ways, plans backfire and some are awfully tricky. The infamous play Othello highlights the points of manipulation and trust mainly within the characters of Othello and Iago. Between the role watchfulness, trust, and motives play in their relationships, Othello giving into schemes due to the insecurity he has with his marriage and Iago’s high position of authority and ability to easily manipulate Iago, Othello’s opinion of his wife’s faithfulness was able to be converted fairly quickly with no eminent action or reasoning. Othello and Iago had a rare relationship that encompassed feelings of jealousy and trust that were evident in how the motives came into play.
In the play Othello, there are many jealous and selfish characters. Each of the characters at one point or another let their jealousy take over. It seems like they all have these plots and plans on how to hurt another character in the play either physically or emotionally, as an act of selfishness, so that they can feel better about themselves. One main character who seems extremely jealous in this play is Iago. Infact, probably the most jealous. Many bad things happen because of Iago. The first bad thing that Iago did, was tell Barbantio (Desdamona's father) that Desdemona has married Othello, the Moore. Iago was mad at Othello, because Cassio had made Othello a higher position and not Iago. Iago thought that he was the one who qualified for the position as general, not Othello. Iago was jealous because of this, so he decided to tell Barbantio about Desdemona and Othello. This was bad, because Barbantio did not know yet, and something like that should have been said by his own daughter, not someone who was not part of the family. The way Iago went about telling him was also bad. He called to his house in the middle of the night. He yelled it to Barbantio from downstairs into his window in a rude manner. " quote from Othello here." He wanted Barbantio to be upset about what had happened, and most of all, he wanted Barbantio to be mad at Othello and do something bad to him.
“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock.The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss. Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er. Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves” (3.3.163-168). In Shakespeare’s Othello, jealousy is the common theme that becomes Othello’s undoing. Through text in the play, the audience can notice Othello slowly begin to become crazed through his speech.
Have you ever been jealous of someone due to some reason? One can understand how jealousy can affect him or her to do horrible things. Jealousy causes people to perform stupid actions that they would not have done if they were not jealous of something or someone. The protagonist and the antagonist are mostly driven by love and filled with the feeling of jealousy. Due to the feeling of jealousy felt by the antagonist, Iago about not getting the job he wanted, he makes a plan to somehow destroy Othello’s love for Desdemona. As the play progresses, the protagonist, Othello begins to appear more like Iago, as his jealousy destroys his wife and consumes his life. Therefore, jealousy is personified as a “green eyed monster” through the combination of Othello’s credulous nature and Iago’s malicious villainy. It is the reason for the change in Iago’s and Othello’s behavior, impacts the insecurity
In Othello, Iago’s flaw of jealousy leads to the tragic deaths of Roderigo, Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello. Jealousy is displayed tremendously
Before considering the importance of Iago's words, it is important to define what jealousy means. According to The New Lexicon Webster's Encylopedic Dictionary of the English Language, "jealousy is a state of fear, suspicion, revenge or envy caused by a real or imagined threat or challenge to one's possessive instincts. It may be provoked by rivalry, in sexual love, by competition or by desires for the qualities or possessions of another."
Shakespeare's famous drama, Othello, revolves around three things: doubt, avengement and deception. As a powerful general of the Venetian army, Othello is unstoppable, until his life is turned upside down by an envious soldier whose hatred is fueled by the fact that he was not promoted to Lieutenant. After secretly marrying his wife, Desdemona, Othello’s true strength is tested. Othello is a black Moor, allowing racism to play a factor throughout the drama. Those whom he believed were faithful are no longer, according to his trusted soldier Iago, enraging Othello.
Roderigo became jealous because Desdemona didn’t fall in love with him. Bianca became jealous because she thought that Cassio was cheating on her with another woman. Othello became jealous because he thought Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio. Iago became jealous because Othello gave Cassio the position of lieutenant. These characters’ jealousy affected them in different ways.
Othello Othello was created by William Shakespeare; it is a play with a theme of jealousy. Iago states in his own words in act two scene one lines 223-248, how jealousy is apparent. Iago is the villain in this play because he is very two-faced. He seems honest and genuine but in reality you could never trust anything he says. He did these awful acts because he was envious of Cassio and angry at Othello’s supposed affair with his beautiful wife.
Othello, like any great Greek tragedy shows the rise and fall of a noble hero due to deception and deceit. Othello’s physical health along with his mental health starts to weaken as he becomes more tangled within Iago’s lies. At the start of the play he has everything, the status, the power and the woman, but due to to his ignorance and Iago’s manipulation he starts to lose it all. Othello suffers from seizures, he cannot sleep; he is constantly in a state of agitation and he becomes paranoid, which helps Iago get into his mind and control him; as a result this leads to his breakdown which leads to Cassio's demotion, Desdemona's murder which in turn, leads to Emilia's murder and Othello's own suicide.
Examine the role of jealousy, love, and/or betrayal in Othello. You may want to pick one character (Iago or Othello perhaps?) and focus on one issue.(O) 15
In the Tragedy Othello, by William Shakespeare, writing strategies such as symbolism help portray central ideas such as jealousy. Shakespeare’s use of specific words and actions helps exemplify what the characters are planning to do, think, or feel. For example, in Act 3 scene 3, the jealousy Othello feels towards Cassio and Desdemona's relationship, is shown through the use of symbolic words, which highlight how jealous he really is. In Act 3 scene 3, Iago tries to manipulate Cassio and Desdemona’s and his choice of words symbolizes his attempt to make Othello question their relationship and become even more jealous.