Jealousy in Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, and Winter's Tale
The common thread of jealousy ties together the main plots in Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, and The Winter's Tale. In each of these plays, the main conflict is centered around some form of jealousy. While jealousy is the mutual, most prominent cause for turmoil in these plays, its effects on the characters, and ultimately the plots, is different in each case. This difference has much to do with the way in which the concept of jealousy is woven into each play, and what it is intended to accomplish.
In Othello, the jealousy factor is deliberately introduced by Iago, with the precise intention of destroying those whom he feels have wronged him. Since it is intentionally used with malicious intent, it has catastrophic results. Iago himself is jealous of Cassio; he feels that he should have been appointed to Cassio's position by Othello, and since he wasn't he hates both Othello and Cassio. Iago channels the jealousy that Othello and Cassio have made him feel, and uses it against them in a hateful plan. Iago starts the process by planting the seeds of jealousy in Othello's mind, telling him Desdemona has been unfaithful. He then proceeds to cultivate the growing jealousy by feeding it with more lies, and twisting innocent events into situations which would serve his needs (his telling Othello that Cassio and Desdemona met in secret, and convincing him that Desdemona vied for Cassio's reinstatement as lieutenant because she loved him, for example). When the seeds had flourished, and Iago had succeeded in driving Othello mad with jealousy, Iago harvested his crop and convinced Othello to kill Desdemona. Othello's killing Desdemona would both rid Iago of Desde...
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...l effects, and when the mistake of jealousy was revealed the problem was solved and every one could be happy.
In each of these plays, jealousy is used as a means of producing a conflict and creating trouble in the lives of the characters. The jealousy in each play, although it is introduced in a different way, always involves a man being jealous of his wife (or fiancée, in Hero's case) being unfaithful with another man. Whether he misinterpret something he sees, or believe slanderous lies, the man's jealousy builds until it forces him to do something to punish his unfaithful woman. At the end of each play, the man is made to realize his mistake, but sometimes the damage can not be undone. Jealousy is the main crisis in each type of play - tragedy, trage-comedy, and comedy - but its results lie strictly in the way it is introduced, and the intended severity.
Othello has many positive traits, including being a great leader and loyal. He also has one negative trait that ultimately leads to his death; jealousy. Iago provokes deep, strong emotions in Othello, jealousy being the strongest. Jealousy is a nasty little emotion. It causes people to do terrible things because once it is on a person’s conscience, it stays for quite some time. Because of these effects, jealousy can impact some of the strongest people such as Othello. The love between Desdemona and Othello was portrayed so elevated and pure and was filled with religious words and phrases that just added to the strength and sanctity of their love. Othello has such a strong mind, but jealousy caused by the manipulation of Iago, negatively impacts him. Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with his friend Cassio. When Othello asks Iago for proof of Desdemona’s deceit, Iago describes scenes and events in which Othello has a reason to be jealous. In Act III, Scene I Iago is describing to Othello, Desdemona and Cassio’s imagined relationship, “It is impossible you should see this/ were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, as salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross as ignorance made drunk.” These images planted themselves inside Othello’s mind and haunted him until he did something about it. These images led to Othello believing Desdemona really did love
When I was in elementary school, I loved to read. I was a total nerd back then ... okay maybe I still am, but one thing has changed. Now I don't so much like reading. My favorite poet was Shel Silverstein, who wrote "Where the Sidewalk Ends." He seemed like he was a total hippie, but that's cool because I like hippies. My grandma is a recovering hippie. I like her too. Anyway, Shel Silverstein wrote about the coolest things. He wrote about magical erasers, eating whales and a boy with long hair flying away from people who were taunting him. He captured all of the things that I loved without knowing that I actually loved them. Now you may ask, how does this hippie relate to our graduation? Well, he wrote a poem entitled "Traffic Light" and this is how it goes:
The play, Othello is one of the most famous tragedies composed by William Shakespeare during the Renaissance period. It powerfully portrays a world where the acts of evil ultimately vanquishes fidelity, nobility and integrity. The central themes jealousy and manipulation embodies the foretold tragedies and the downfall tragedies of the characters due to one’s insecurities. Through the use of literary techniques and figurative language, Shakespeare has effectively explored the themes of jealousy and manipulation.
Good evening. Some of you out there may not realize this but those of you who attended Suntime Middle School have been with this guy for the last seven years. I would like to ask you all, not just Suntime Middle School grads and who all else, to join me in thanking Mr. Weather for his patience and dedication to the success of our education over the years. We are the Class of 2000. The first graduating class of the new millennium. The past four years have been pretty wild. We started out as a bunch of rats in a small cage, but as time went by we learned and matured and became big rats in a new small cage, but in any case, the cage door is now opening; the handlers turning us wild things loose. As we leave "Where the Wild Things Are," home to some of the best cat fights, fist fights and food fights this side of the Cascades, I have a little surprise for all of you sitting in front of me here tonight in your caps and gowns … we ain’t seen nothing yet!
In the play Othello, there are many jealous and selfish characters. Each of the characters at one point or another let their jealousy take over. It seems like they all have these plots and plans on how to hurt another character in the play either physically or emotionally, as an act of selfishness, so that they can feel better about themselves. One main character who seems extremely jealous in this play is Iago. Infact, probably the most jealous. Many bad things happen because of Iago. The first bad thing that Iago did, was tell Barbantio (Desdamona's father) that Desdemona has married Othello, the Moore. Iago was mad at Othello, because Cassio had made Othello a higher position and not Iago. Iago thought that he was the one who qualified for the position as general, not Othello. Iago was jealous because of this, so he decided to tell Barbantio about Desdemona and Othello. This was bad, because Barbantio did not know yet, and something like that should have been said by his own daughter, not someone who was not part of the family. The way Iago went about telling him was also bad. He called to his house in the middle of the night. He yelled it to Barbantio from downstairs into his window in a rude manner. " quote from Othello here." He wanted Barbantio to be upset about what had happened, and most of all, he wanted Barbantio to be mad at Othello and do something bad to him.
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. Throughout the play, jealousy is a ruler over Iago’s thoughts and actions, influencing the way he feels about himself. Iago’s jealousy is exhibited while speaking with Roderigo “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine/ (A fellow almost damned in a fair wife)/ That never set a squadron in the field, / Nor the division of a battle knows/ More than a spinster—unless the bookish theoric, / Wherein the toged consuls can propose/ As masterly as he.
There is often times the character who wants to be popular, or the jealous ex girlfriend who wants revenge. Although these characters are often times displayed as women, in King Lear, the reader learns how universally detrimental the character trait of jealousy can be. King Lear is a tragedy that is fueled by deception, ignorance, and jealousy. Gloucester and King Lear are tricked into thinking their good children are not trustworthy. Goneril and Edmund spend their time lying and scheming to help alleviate their severe jealousy. Meanwhile, good characters like Edgar, Gloucester, and Cordelia are left trying to pick up the broken pieces left behind. Unfortunately, jealousy which is considered to be “the root of all evil” prevails and leads to the death of nearly the entire cast except for Edgar and
That’s Othello’s weakness that Iago deems as useful. Othello’s love turns to jealousy. The question is how sympatric is Othello to the reader. Othello feels betrayed. But Othello loses his look of a gullible, good guy when he decides he wants Cassio and Desdemona dead. The rage of his jealousy turns the character of Othello the readers know on its head and creates a different look. Only during and after the death of Desdemona can the reader see the good that was once in him. Othello shows regret and kind of a sense of torment. Clearly parts of him doesn’t want this to happen. And after the death of Desdemona he sees the misplaced change and rage he had. When Othello hears of Iago’s disseat he changes back to the good Othello that was present in the start of the play. He might be filled with regret and a new rage for Iago, but is morals seem solid
For the characters Iago and Cassio, there has been a sort of jealousy domino effect. Iago is jealous that Cassio got lieutenancy instead of himself. So he is determined to hurt Cassio and Othello in the same process. He succeeds at hurting Cassio but eventually finds himself in a job- jealousy situation again. In act IV, scene ii, Iago does not want Cassio having the powerful job of taking over for Othello in Cyprus. Iago thinks that if Cassio is dead then he can take the job, yet again. Instead of confronting Othello about why he may not be fit for receiving these jobs, Iago wants to hurt someone for it. He is letting a trivial situation make him jealous of others to the point that he would let himself take someone else’s life. In Cassio’s situation, an object gets used to spark jealousy upon someone else, but it was not even intentional. Cassio’s lady friend, Bianca, is afraid that “[the handkerchief] is some token from a newer friend./ To the felt absence now I feel a cause” (III.iv. 206-207). It can be described as a domino effect because the handkerchief was originally planted to make Othello jealous of Cassio, but now it has also made Bianca jealous of some other nonexistent women. The nature of jealousy is scary because it can destroy bonds and relationships even when it was not intended. In Cassio’s case, he made someone jealous without even trying and it will jeopardize his relationships. Most often people do not ask for the burden of having a jealous feeling, but it can consume their mind while destroying others in it’s
Othello is a Shakespearean play that portrays jealousy and how it can destroy lives. In William Shakespeare's Othello, Jealousy is described as someone who is feeling or showing envy of someone else. Jealousy is also decribes as the most disastrous emotion. There are many instances throughout the play that show jealousy between the characters. In fact the thrive of jealousy is what made lago start planning a scheme that leads to the death of innocent people including Othello, Desdemona, Emilia and Roderigo.
In his sonnet, Shakespeare laments that even when we know that lust is dangerously irrational, most people cannot resist falling under its spell. Othello finds the same to be true about jealousy.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Jealousy. Jealousy was the cause of Iago’s reasoning to deceive and lie to Othello. Othello had chosen Cassio, a well respected and loyal soldier, to become a lieutenant. When Iago finds out of Cassio’s new position Iago states, “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) Iago becomes enraged with jealousy, enough jealousy to take a mans life, and that life was to be Othello. Iago took that same jealousy he felt and planted it into Othello psyche. “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy/It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/The meat it feeds on;” (3.3.15) Othello did try to rebut what Iago was proclaiming. Othello goes on to tell Iago, “Think'st thou I'd make a life of jealousy/To follow still the changes of the moon/With fresh suspicions?”(3.3.177-9), but soon after, Iago understands that Othello’s insecurities will get the best of him, “… trifles light as air/Are to the jealous confirmation strong/As proofs of holy writ.”(3.3. 320-2) At this point Othello’s gears of insecurity begin to turn, he imagines Desdemona’s infidelity with Cassio, and his jealousy awakens the green eyed
His jealousy overcame his usual respectable, noble personality and he became irrational and violent. His jealousy and rage led him to kill his wife, something he would never have done if he had not been jealous. Iago’s initial jealousy of Cassio led him to seek revenge, thus moving the entire plot. He also fuels his hatred of Othello by convincing himself that Othello slept with his wife. His jealousy initiated many of the other characters’ jealousy, which resulted in multiple negative consequences.
Iago: His inability to simply accept the conditions of the world around him cause him to be jealous. he's jealous attributable to Cassio's promotion. He cannot reconcile the very fact that somebody like Cassio would receive a promotion when he perceives himself to be so much more worthy. He's also jealous at the mere hint that othello has been involved with emilia. iago concedes that he doesn't know if the rumor is true, however it becomes clear that jealousy has already taken a hold of iago without
Good evening parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and friends. I would like to thank you all for coming to this very special day. I know how proud you must be. As we have grown over the years, there are many stages we all have gone through. From learning our shapes and colors, to getting our first kiss in middle school, or how about explaining to our parents why we skipped school because the principal called home. As we remember these days, things that we've done will be with us forever. But this is only the start of our journey. The day has come where we say goodbye to the big yellow buses, assemblies, assigned seating, and attendance policies. Are you really gonna miss it? For some of us maybe not right away. But eventually we will so for us to be here it is not necessarily an achievement, but a privilege. All of us have been in school over half our lives. To graduate is one more step we've taken in our lives.