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Jealousy In Othello Essay

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Jealousy is defined as “resentment against a person enjoying success or advantages” (Dictionary). Shakespeare compose plays full of lies, betrayal, murderous revenge, and jealousy. In his play Othello, it is a love story filled with jealousy. Throughout the play there are many instances that show jealousy between the characters; from the beginning of the play when Roderigo is envious of Othello because he wants to be with Desdemona, to the end of the play when Othello is infuriated with envy because he believes Cassio and his wife Desdemona is having a secret affair. The flaws within all of the characters lied within their blindness to overlook Iago’s lies. Each character’s jealousy was what they perceived as the truth. Both Othello and Iago were highly respected soldiers but jealousy warps their sense of right and wrong and they end up disgraced. While they both plot a murderous revenge, what makes Iago the villain and Othello the tragic hero is that Iago actually enjoys punishing those he thinks have offended him. …show more content…

The way Iago acts and what he says convey him as a manipulative character. He thinks up a plan to make Othello look like a thief by saying that Othello has stolen Desdemona’s heart using witchcraft. He persuades Roderigo to confront Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, telling him, “Call up her father. Rouse him. Make after him, poison his delight, Proclaim him in the streets. Incense her kinsmen, and, though he in a fertile climate dwell, plague him with flies. Though that his joy be joy yet throw such changes of vexation on’t, as it may lose some color. Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell…” (Crowther). This scene immediately portrays Iago as a villain since he does not care how Roderigo feels about Desdemona. His true intentions were to have Brabantio after

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