Essay on Iago the "Green - Eyed Monster"

In the play Othello, Iago describes jealousy as a “green-eyed monster. The “Green” representing the color of envy, and “monster” shows how destructive and vicious it can be. Iago has a manipulative mind causing people to believe him and listen what he has to say about a certain situation. When Iago is telling Othello to be aware of jealousy it causes Othello to become weary of his wife Desdemona. Although, Othello believes his wife is loyal to him. He starts to listen to Iago and becomes jealous of Roderigo who he believes is all for Desdemona.

Jealousy is a powerful emotion that can blind oneself from identifying the truth. Shakespeare heavily emphasizes this theme throughout the drama Othello, especially through the actions of characters. In the play the heinous antagonist, Iago, uses each character’s jealousy to deceive that person and manipulate the truth. His false promises and deceitfulness bring to the demise of many of the main characters in the play, including the protagonist, Othello. Othello could not have been deceived if it were not for his powerful jealousy. Therefore, Shakespeare is telling us that jealousy is an ugly trait that can hide the truth, which in turn causes many problems between characters in the play.

Iago does not stop there, his jealously leads him to start infecting others and the first is Roderigo, a naïve gentleman in Venice. To put his scheme into motion, Iago informs Roderigo of Othello and Desdemona’s elopement, which causes Roderigo to become very upset because he too is in love with Desdemona and is willing to do anything to win her love. Iago plants the seed of jealousy in Roderigo’s mind because he knows he can now use Roderigo “for sport and profit” (I.iii.1180) by playing off his jealousy toward anyone who comes close to Desdemona. After breaking Roderigo down he then, builds him back up by telling him a way they can break up the marriage. Iago tells him:

Roderigo argues that he deserves to take Desdemona's hand in marriage. His secret love for her drives him crazy inside at every sight he sees her and Othello together. During this Othello is described as an old black ram, "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram". Iago thinks that Othello is too old and that he will not be around with his job for long. The play would have opened up with this conversation in the dark.

In addition, Iago’s confidence has strengthen throughout the play. He convinces Roderigo to take part of his malicious plans. One of which are to talk behind Othello’s back about his secret marriage to Desdemona with her father, Brabantio. Iago is sure that he could break Othello’s marriage by passing the news to Brabantio. Iago’s desire to lead is growing throughout the play. He believes highly of himself, thinking that he is one of those followers who wear themselves out in their master’s service and do not look after themselves, he states, “Do well thrive by them. And when they have lined their coats, Do themselves homage. These fellows have some soul; and such a one do I profess myself” (I.i.53-55). This quotation shows that Iago is confident enough to think that he deserves the promotion more than Cassio, believing he is a better person. Iago’s self-confidence has engaged innocent victims to accompany him in his plan. Furthermore, Iago has successfully accomplished inspiring both Roderigo and Othello with a shared

The theme of jealousy is portrayed through various characters within the play. Iago increases Roderigo’s jealousy of Othello. By reflecting on the jealousy he bears within himself, Iago brings out the jealousy in others. Roderigo sees Othello as an opponent, which he has to compete against in order to win Desdemona’s heart. He expresses his emotions towards Othello when he states, “What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,/ If he can carry it thus!”(1.1.67-68). Roderigo says that Othello only got Desdemona out of luck and he will not be able to carry it off. It is because of this jealousy that Roderigo continues to seek Iago’s assistance. Iago tends

What is not clear is whether Desdemona would even consider Roderigo’s advances. We know that Roderigo has failed in previous attempts to court Desdemona and Brabantio “charged thee not to haunt my doors” (Shakespeare 1458). Roderigo is eager to charge forward with Iago’s instructions and is so gullible that he is repeatedly puts his self in physical danger. Roderigo has no realistic chance of success and is therefore considered a pawn for Iago to maneuver. To enlist his help to eliminate Cassio, Iago conjures up a tale of an affair between Desdemona and Cassio that Roderigo is all too willingly to accept about the woman he loves. According to Iago, Roderigo is no longer considered Desdemona’s second choice behind Othello, but falls to a distant third behind Cassio. Roderigo becomes

Jealousy is a powerful drug. When someone is jealous, one can only imagine how far someone would go because of it. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, there were several characters that went through different ways of processing their jealousy. Iago’s jealousy provokes his idea to get back at the people he felt was not deserving enough of the things they had or their happiness. His plans succeeds but by the end, no one wins. Iago’s jealousy forms at the beginning of the play which causes Othello’s jealousy towards the end and because of it, it results in people hurt mentally and physically.

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 Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, good is often confronted by evil, in which almost every case is in the form of jealousy. Iago, the plays antagonist, is a very manipulative villain. Iago uses his own agony and distress brought upon him by his envy of others, to provoke the same agony within the characters in the play. Jealousy’s ability are shown to influence people to new ends and make all humanistic judgment disappear leaving that man a monster torn apart by envy. Jealousy’s true destructive wrath and the pure evil it brings out in people can be revealed through Iago’s actions throughout the tragedy Othello.

Othello is a play about jealousy’s causes and effects. Each character in the play had different reasons to be jealous and each of them chose to deal with it a certain way. All three characters Iago, Othello, and Roderigo had such cases and in the end dealt with different conflicts and outcomes. It’s important to understand that their actions in dealing with their jealousies were a reflection of their characters, and persona.

Throughout Othello, the dramatic irony of “Honest” Iago is detrimental. Iago serves as Othello’s main attendant and is expected to get the promotion to lieutenant. Unexpectedly though, Othello gives the promotion of lieutenant to Michael Cassio. In all, this catalyzes Iago’s plot for revenge and destruction that will destroy every

In Act II Scene I he tells her, "It gives me wonder great as my content to see you here before me. O my soul's joy!" and " If it were now to die, ‘Twere now to be most happy" (Shakespeare 1168-69). Othello implies that his life was in chaos before he met Desdemona (1186). Othello, however, is also very insecure of Desdemona's love for him (Mabillard 1). He doesn't understand why she would go against her father and her society by marrying a man that is black (1). The only reason that he can come up with is that she married him for his courageous journeys (1). In Act I scene iii he explains to the Duke, "She lov'd me for the dangers I had pass'd" (Shakespeare 1157). In Act III scene ii he tries to put his doubts to rest

In the story of Othello, all of the conflict, violence, and harm that occured was a result of jealousy. Iago, one of the victims of jealousy, made a hypocritical statement to Othello where he called jealousy a green-eyed monster. This monster known as jealousy not only consumes the people that it hates, but also consumes the person itself. Jealousy is the culprit for any character that had died in the story. Jealousy fueled each scene to the next in Othello and the more that is added, the more damage it does as seen with its effects on Roderigo, Iago, and Othello.

Iago is one of the most interesting characters in the tragedy "Othello" by William Shakespeare. Through some carefully thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him and gets him closer to his goals. He is the driving force in this play, pushing Othello and everyone else towards the tragic ending.