David Lee
Advanced English F
Mr. Vickers
9/26/17
Othello
Jealousy, the “green-eyed monster” (Othello line 168 Act 3 Scene 3) the monster that constructed relentless hate between the star crossed lovers. Jealousy can assemble a hatred that could never be forgiven, even to your most loved ones. Jealousy can develop vacuous thoughts that could destroy another’s reputation and life. Jealousy has driven many people to do things they do not want to but chooses to. Assumptions led to false accusations and false accusations led to tragedy. As easy as one person destroying relationship leading to many deaths, the theme jealousy plays an important role. Jealousy is the motive that affected peoples’ lives in this book “Othello”. Jealousy in many cases could be easily forgiven, but when it comes to your most loved ones, people have a tendency to do terrifying things. In the tragedy “Othello”, jealousy comes in many different ways. Starting from Iago being jealous of Cassio for being the lieutenant, Othello being jealous of Cassio for thinking that Desdemona has been cheating on Othello with Cassio and Bianca being jealous of Cassio because of the handkerchief that she found in the bed.
The “green eyed monster” (Othello line 168 Act 3 Scene 3) possessed Othello and infested his mind. It took over him to start doing things that he promised wouldn’t do during the wedding. Being an African guy that he is, he’s not exceedingly accepted into the western culture. Yet, he’s the general of
Shakespeare often has common themes throughout all of his poems which include love, death, and betrayal. When talking about Othello, all of these major themes are presented. Although, the major theme is jealousy. Throughout the play, jealousy is shown in each character in some way and drives the decisions that they make. The beginning starts with Rodrigo being covetous of Othello for being with Desdemona, and at the end where Othello is envious because he believes Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Iago is an important character throughout all of this because he makes up lies and misleads characters into believing things that are untrue. From the beginning, he is envious of Cassio and has hatred towards Othello because Othello
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.
There are many different emotions like sadness, happiness, and joyfulness just to name a few that people can experience. One of the most powerful and sometimes dangerous emotions is Jealousy. Jealousy is a powerful emotion that most people experience at some point in their life. However, not everyone is affected in the same way. Some people are filled with insecurity. While others are filled with fear. Most people experience anger. In William Shakespeare’s Othello the audience learns through the characterization of Othello and Iago, the symbolism of the handkerchief, and through Othello denying that he is jealous we learn that jealousy can make people behave irrationally in certain circumstances.
Shakespeare’s Othello is a play consistently based on jealously and the way it can destroy lives. One is quick to think this jealously is based on Othello’s lack of belief in Desdemona’s faithfulness to him or his suspensions over Desdemona’s affair with Cassio, Othello’s honorable lieutenant. Upon closer inspection of the jealously that exists throughout the play it becomes clear that his jealously is not the sole start and reason for all of the destruction that occurs. Iago, a good friend of Othello, is not who he appears to be. Iago’s own jealously of those around him pushes him over the edge. He begins to deceive all those who believe he is a true, honorable, and faithful man. Throughout Othello, Iago incites his own jealously in
In your view how does Shakespeare’s portrayal of the complex nature of jealousy contribute to the enduring value of Othello?
Throughout the play jealousy is shown within almost every character, ago mostly causes everyone in the play to be jealous of someone by doing what he does best, manipulating everyone and getting them to do his dirty work. Jealousy plays a big role within the play, and influences almost every decision made by each character at some point in the play. Sadly, the decisions made due to the characters being jealous are mostly bad, the play mainly shows how jealousy affects Iago, Othello, and Roderigo. Iago at some point gets each character to believe everything he has to say and talks them into doing anything he wishes them to do all for the sole purpose of revenge and jealousy
Othello is a classic Shakespearean tragedy that consists of many underlying themes depicted in the story. One of the most significant themes portrayed in this play revolve around the aspect of jealousy. Jealousy is a strong feeling of resentment that can overpower a person’s good will and compel them to take involuntary action against one. During the course of this play, we see three main characters that possess this idea of a jealous nature. The theme of jealousy is recognized in the villainous Iago which exposes his true self, the pathetic Roderigo, who in turn faces severe consequences, and the great Othello himself whom jealousy devours, leading him to make rash decisions.
Jealousy out of all human emotions is the most common to cause detriment. When an individual becomes consumed by its nature it ultimately leads to their worst self. Jealousy is a major theme in Othello and it is what drives Othello to commit his heinous deed of killing his wife. Through Shakespeare’s exploration of how Othello becomes corrupted the underlying question of whether human nature when challenged reveals an inner demon. A monstrous, violent green eyed monster. The corruption of Othello is provoked by Iago, Iago is aware of his insecurities and therefore uses this knowledge to his advantage. As stated “Oh, Beware, My lord of jealousy!/ It is the green eyed monster which doth mocks/ that meat feeds on” this metaphor used by Iago is a warning to Othello of the dangers associated with Jealousy, that it has an appetite for its victims. It is ironic that Iago preaches his own diagnosis. Jealousy is what fuelled his anger and unloyal behaviours towards his colleague. Through the juxtaposition of Othello's gullible nature and Iago's noxious villainy, the picture of envy is genuinely exemplified as an all-expending "green-eyed monster". Othello is not seen as a
Jealousy is symbolised as “the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on," a complex and destructive human emotion which spawns from human ambition and selfishness. Othello the noble ‘fairer than black’ begins the play characterised as the composed, eloquent protagonist of the play with high status and good reputation, correlating with the social hierarchy of the Elizabethan era. This contrasts with the enraged person he degrades into at the end of the play, consumed by the symbolic “green eyed monster” and engulfed with jealous rage of infidelity and honesty, instigated by the Machiavellian villain, Iago of the play who is also engulfed in jealousy:“…That I put the moor in to a jealousy so strong,” . Iago is spurred on by jealousy caused by Cassio’s promotion which he believed was rightfully his and shows his plan to bring Othello down with jealousy during his first soliloquy in Act 2. Soon after imagery is used to depict Iago as a gardener planting his “seed of doubt” in Othello which results in Othello being entangled in the of lies and deceit on Desdemona’s infidelity. This reduces him to a jealousy induced seizure as : “Is’t possible? – Confess? Handkerchief? O devil! [He] falls into a trance,” Iago’s jealousy is further enhanced during Othello’s seizure where he says “Work on my medicine, work on”. The motif of jealousy leads Othello to feel that he would “Rather
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.
Shakepeare’s tragedy play, Othello, is a story of love, trust, betrayal, denial, envy, deceit, and jealousy which led to the death of the characters. Othello, portrayed by Laurence Fishburne with a protagonist character, strong willed, brave fighter, won every war and married the most beautiful and pure Desdemona. But despite of his over powering success in his career, Othello lost his own battle when he allowed Iago to poison his mind. Kenneth Branagh’s diabolical character succeeded on planting the seed of doubt, distrust and jealousy on Othello’s mind. Kenneth Branagh’s antagonist role as Aigo was so believable and precisely natural with regards to his acting career.
Shakespeare uses a combination of recurring themes and motifs such as betrayal, love, conflict, and jealousy throughout his plays and sonnets. In Shakespeare’s Othello, jealousy is the prominent theme, which causes the destruction and tragic downfall of the play’s main characters. Jealousy is masked through lies, misleading situations and manipulation and interpreted in varied ways by the main characters. From beginning to end, jealousy is rooted in every scene, eventually leading to the death and demise of the main character, Othello.
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.
Jealousy is the sensation to envy someone and have the desire to avenge someone. The infamous play Othello portrays the consequences of jealousy. Throughout the play, Othello tragic flaw is his own jealousy. Othello jealousy causes a transition of character. Othello was once the charming noble gentleman and it is now turned into a vicious callous monster. Othello’s jealousy was his downfall that cost the deaths of multiple lives.
The play Othello by William Shakespeare was published during the 16th century, it is one of Shakespeare’s popular and controversial plays. Shakespeare depicts Othello’s race as placing him apart in some respects from the predominantly white European society in which he lives. Jealousy is another of the main themes in Othello. Iago is the first character to start the sparks of jealousy in Othello, and in the end, causes the downfall of Othello and Desdemona. In the end, racism and jealousy are the causes of the tragedy in Othello.