Jealousy in Shakespeare's Othello

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Jealousy in Othello

The theme of Othello is jealousy. Othello, a Moor who is an honored Venetian general, secretly marries Desdemona. On the night of their marriage in Venice Othello is ordered to Cyprus. Desdemona sails after him for Cyprus and they meet there again. Desdemona’s father is very angry about their marriage, though. As they arrive at Cyprus the whole story begins. Iago, Othello’s ancient, is very disappointed at not being promoted. He hates his rival Cassio, Othello’s lieutenant, and Othello. Iago decides to revenge on both of them. He makes Cassio drunk and consequently, Cassio is dismissed from the army. He tries to explain everything to Desdemona, who asks Othello to take Cassio back to the army. But in the meantime Iago makes Othello believe that Desdemona is Cassio’s lover. Othello is enraged by jealousy. He strangles Desdemona and kills himself. Iago stabs his wife Emilia because she discloses Iago’s plot. Iago is arrested.

The main characters in this tragedy are: Duke of Venice, Brabantio (a senator), Gratiano (brother to Brabantio), Lodovico (kinsman to Brabantio), Othello (a noble Moor in the service of the Venetian state), Cassio (his lieutenant), Iago (his ancient), Roderigo (a Venetian gentleman), Montano (Othello’s predecessor in the government of Cyprus), Clown (servant to Othello), Desdemona (daughter to Brabantio and wife to Othello), Emilia (wife to Iago), Bianca (mistress to Cassio).

That was a short synopsis. Actually, the action of this play is more complex but let’s try to understand and explain the behavior of the main characters:

At the beginning of the play we learn about Othello that he is aware of his military achievements, his service to the state, his personal ...

... middle of paper ...

...a mistress (a not very honest girl) is morally superior to Iago.

Although I think that Desdemona doesn’t deserve such punishment as Othello performs at the end of the play I mean that Desdemona is not entirely faultless. She intervenes unwisely on Cassio’s behalf and, as Iago calculates, it is a tactless intrusion into affairs which do not properly concern her.

To conclude, in Othello there are different kinds of jealousy. Bianca is jealous of her supposed rival in her relationship with Cassio, Roderigo begins as a lover and under the influence of jealousy ends as a potential murderer; and both the evil villain and the hero are more or less jealous.

“Man can endure earthquake, epidemic, dreadful disease, every form of spiritual torment; but the most dreadful tragedy that can befall him is, and will remain, the tragedy of the bedroom.

Tolstoy

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