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In William Shakespeare’s Othello Iago is the undeniable orchestrator of all the turmoil in the play. Iago’s malicious ploys cause envy and grief for every character that he encounters. Iago chooses to hurt people by making them envious because Iago himself is plagued by evy. Iago’s ironic struggle with envy is the fuel for all destruction in the book, and without the element of envy each character would have less of a desire to carry out the actions that transpired throughout the play. Iago is envious of Othello’s position of power, and the rumors that Emilia had an affair with Othello. Ultimately, Iago plans to destroy Othello by inciting him with envy, and to get Othello to turn on his wife.Iago’s paramount display of envy for Othello is in his soliloquy and also his conversations with Othello. Othello soon becomes overwhelmed with envy, and it is this envy that drives the play, and Iago’s plans.

Iago begins the play with a deep envy for Othello, and only deepens as the play continues. Iago’s jealousy for Othello begins with Emilia, and the rumor that they were romantically involved. Iago exclaimed in his soliloquy"I hate the Moor/ And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets he has done my office/ I know not if't be true;/ But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety”(1.3.12). In this soliloquy Iago explains what budded his jealousy of Othello. Iago’s mere suspicion was enough to engross such powerful feelings of envy. Iago also displayed how easily envy can take a hold of person, and drive them to do to extreme things. Just the slightest doubt created immense envy in Iago, and he wants to make Othello suffer by experiencing the same emotion. Iago knows that in order for his plan to work he must plant...

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...ot even great valiant men such as Othello are free from the hands of envy and jealousy. From here on Iago uses jealously and envy as his tools of destruction, and jealously from this point on drives the play forward.

Throughout the play the characters of Othello struggle with the power of envy. This struggle is not specific to the characters in this play. Every man must look at the green eyed monster for themselves. However, Othello is an exemplary model of what happens if envy’s power becomes too extreme. Iago finds it nearly impossible to prevent envy from ruling his life, and allows his envy to get out of control. Iago’s loss of control allows envy to ruin the lives of those around him. The envious nature in all men leads us to become vengeful to try to level the field, and if not controlled jealousy and envy can create disastrous situation just like in Othello.