Othello is one of the main characters of this tragedy by Shakespeare. At the start of the play, Othello is thought of as an outsider. He is black and is from Africa, and is inevitably singled out in an all-white community. But his ability to fight and be a leader makes him an ascent to the government. At the start of the play Othello is well known and well-liked and respected by his soldiers and the citizens of Venice. The jealousy of Othello from Iargo is very intense. iargo uses his abilities to manipulate people to get up on Othello. He is jealous of othello being married to Desdemona. Jealousy is a strong emotion. Jealousy can kill relationships, and confuse the mind. The sex sex, race or age. When the feeling of jealousy is present …show more content…
His jealousy quickly creates thoughts of revenge, and he soon comes up with a plan to get revenge on people that did him wrong.. From the start of the play, Iargo showed his jealousy for Cassio and Othello. He is jealous of Cassio for getting hired as lieutenant. Iargo feels he is the rightful owner of the position, and he is jealous of Othello not only for the hiring the of Cassio, but also from his thought that Othello had been with Emilia. Iargo expresses "It is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets / He has done my office" (I.iii.369-370). This insecurity and jealousy he feels leads him to perform acts of revenge. Iargo says in he will not be satisfied "Till I am evend with him, wife for wife, /Or failing so, yet that I put the Moor / At least into a jealousy so strong / That judgment cannot cure" …show more content…
The jealousy he has turns him to be full with rage, and he loses his ability to recognize reality. The first time that doubt occurs in Othello's mind is Brabantio's warning "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:/She has deceived her father, and may thee" (1.3.292-293). This early stages of doubt lets Iargo to play with Othello's jealous nature, and create a plan to manipulate Othello. Iargo slowly executes his plan against Othello and quickly has the outcome he wants, Othello is filled with jealousy. Othello frequently denies his jealousy, but it is obivious that he is losing his mind with the thought that Desdemona is cheating. Hetalks to Iargo saying "No Iargo;/I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;/And on the proof, there is no more but this,--/Away at once with love or jealousy!" (3.3.189-192) The fact that he believes that his wife is cheating with only implication put out by Iargo shows the fact that he is vulnerable to jealousy. Right after, with Iargo's help he believes to see undeniable proof that Desdemona is cheating with the loss of the handkerchief. Othelllo's jealousy quickly turns to anger as he struggles to survive. He accuses her and though she denies it, he does not believe her. Othello thinks he has no other way to get out of his doubt than to murder Desdemona. After Desdemona's death, the truth isbrought out, and Othello chooses to kill
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
At first Othello is confident about his belief that Desdemona would never lie or cheat. This allows him to appear composed when the topic is even brought up. When Brabantio says, “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee” (1.3.288-289), he says, “My life upon her faith” (1.3.290). Othello believes that Desdemona would never lie to him, even though she had lied to her father. Also, he did not act or appear mad when Brabantio says this. As a result, Iago is able to use this confidence of Desdemona not cheating on him against him. At first Iago just gets the idea in his head. He then tries to “Fetch me the handkerchief—my mind misgives” (3.4.80). Othello admits that he is doubting her loyalty. Iago told Othello that she had given the handkerchief to Cassio. At first Othello did not believe him until he realizes she truly does not have it. Once he believed this Iago was able to continue with his lie. He told Othello she has slept with him numerous times. He also tells him that he should kill her due to everything she has done. To this Othello replies, “Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned tonight; for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand” (Shakespeare 4.1.183-185). Othello admits that he believes she should be killed. Iago then induced him that he should be the one to kill her. Othello
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...
Iago plots with supreme cleverness, carefully manipulating Othello into believing that Desdemona is an adulteress. His understanding of the human psyche is impressive, as is his ability to orchestrate the deception throughout the play. Iago 's trickery is strong because of his patience; he has the ability to make people manifest ideas in their heads and just wait for his victims to go mad. Iago 's convincing rhetoric clearly reveals what a dominant device language can be, especially when used by an eloquent, but immoral, person. Once can see Iago being deceptive and devious when he pretends to warn Othello on the effects of jealousy by saying “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!/ It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on (III. iii.195-197). Here, he pretends to warn Othello not to be a jealous man, by pointing out that jealousy ends up destroying the heart of the man who becomes a victim to it. Iago was the one who told Othello the lie and planted the evil seed in his mind. Iago’s vindictiveness is also revealed when he says “The Moor already changes with my poison;/Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,/Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,/But with a little act upon the blood/Burn like the mines of Sulphur.“ (III. Iii. 373-378). Iago realizes the unbelievable power of jealousy and claims that
This emotion however is double-sided, the concept of manipulation. The reason I say double-sided is because people can be manipulative and manipulated. This concept is different from the emotion of jealously in the way that if you are doing the manipulation or being manipulated you may not even know it. Othello's villain may be literature's most impressive master of the concept. Iago plans with intelligent and careful manipulation of Othello into believing that Desdemona has been unfaithful. His understanding of human emotions is impressive, like is ability to orchestrate a complicated web of pre-planned scenarios. He seemed to know exactly what to do and when to do it, on top of knowing how the people around him would act and perceive his action. This concept can go as far as to say that everyone in the play was manipulated or manipulative, in the way that everything went to
Othello’s anger grew through the play and he had trust issues that developed in his marriage. He wanted to ask Desdemona about trust and if she was cheating on him but did not
Within the drama, “The Tragedy of Othello”, Othello maintains a vital role in the plot within Shakespeare’s writing. Othello held a prominent role in society as a general for Venice and was both physically and psychologically respected in his community. However, during the drama Othello makes an important decision by choosing to murder Desdemona even with no clear proof; this action would affect Othello greatly as the drama transpired. Throughout Shakespeare’s script, Othello is continuously manipulated by Iago which ultimately results in not only the death of Desdemona but also the death of Othello himself. All of his actions would play a part in the overall analyzation of Othello; a tragic hero.
The play “Othello” by William Shakespeare was written in 1604 during the Elizabeth era. Othello is one of the most extraordinary characters in all of Shakespeare’s dramas. He enjoyed unheralded success in the combat zone, which gave him the reputation as one of Venice’s most competent generals. Even though he has great success in the battlefield, he has a dramatic flaw that causes a downfall in his life. The dramatic flaw that causes his downfall is jealousy. This was brought on by a simple persuasion of Iago, the evil character in the play. Even though Iago used extreme manipulation to get Othello to be jealous, Iago did not really have to try very hard to get Othello in a jealous state of mind. Othello was blinded by his jealousy which led him down a path of constant questioning of his wife and his friend Cassio. Throughout the play we see his dramatic flaw sink him deeper and deeper into a cloud of doubt which eventually leads him to kill not only his love of his life but also himself.
“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock.The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss. Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er. Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves” (3.3.163-168). In Shakespeare’s Othello, jealousy is the common theme that becomes Othello’s undoing. Through text in the play, the audience can notice Othello slowly begin to become crazed through his speech.
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.
Shakespeare’s work “Othello” emphasizes the dangers of jealousy. The play demonstrates how jealousy is powered by affirmations that can easily be proven false. Therefore, resulting in the destruction of many lives, including the tragic hero himself. It is extremely apparent that jealousy is a behavioral propellant on the entire plot. Specifically, the play begins in the midst of Iago’s jealous behavior towards Cassio. Lago’s twisted actions refer to the source of jealousy, indicating that he takes revenge on the people around him and is the least discontent with the lives he damages. As the play progresses, both the tragic hero and Iago’s jealous behavior develops. Othello’s Moorish values make him obscure in comparison to other Venetians suggests that the reason for his jealousy is unreasonable. Notably, Shakespeare exhibits that jealousy is unreasonable throughout the play as a result of the tragic hero’s fatal flaw, an issue that is psychological. The action and behavior Othello performs in enviousness is not a source of a reasonable act of
Above all, at the pivotal point in the play, it is Othello, ultimately who determines the outcome of his raged jealousy. But, his anger towards Desdemona and Cassio, leaves him very little of another option, but to continue his plan. Othello demands that he will "make me to see 't” (3.3.364) “or woe upon thy life!" (3.3.366) and this expresses his emotions, such as his love for Desdemona. Furthermore, when Othello says “when I love thee not” (3.3.91) “chaos is come again" (3.3.92) , it can be seen as how Othello feels towards his insecurity due to his race. Iago uses Othello 's position of a "stranger from here and everywhere" (1.1.136-137) to exploit his insecurities; he says that "in Venice they do let God see the pranks” (3.3.202) “they dare not show their husbands" (3.3.203). As Othello is not a Venetian, he cannot defend himself from this accusation of his wife. Therefore, jealousy might be a result of the insecurity that he is feeling, but also caused by Iago who takes advantage of
Othello’s suspicions are raised further later on in this conversation when Iago tells Othello to: “Look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio” Iago then goes on to say how Desdemona deceived her own father by marrying him, although he does not state this, he is trying to say that if she can do that to her own father then she can do it to him aswell, Othello gets this message loud and clear. After all this has been said , Othello will not admit that he is jealous or that he thinks Desdemona has been disloyal, but in his head it is a different story. Othello trusts in Iago and believes everything he says, as is stated after Iago has taken his leave: “This fellows of exceeding honesty And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit, Of human dealings.” Desdemona enters the same room as Othello and she immediately notices something is not quite right, when she asks him what is wrong he tells her that he has a “a pain upon my forehead”, she tries to soothe him by binding his head with a napkin of Othello’s mother, which he
Iago had tricked Othello into believing that Desdemona cheated on him with Cassio, thus causing him to become jealous. His jealousy overcame his usual respectable, noble personality and he became irrational and violent. His jealousy and rage lead him to kill his wife, something he would never have done if he had not been jealous.
The role of jealousy, love and betrayal play a major role in The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The entire play is based on the human interactions of the characters as related to Othello and Desdemona. The characters’ personalities, their social status, and their relationships to each other control the story line and their fate in the play. Othello is portrayed early in the play as an outsider with animalistic characteristics by Iago and Roderigo because of jealousy. “Your heart is burst; and have lost half of your soul/Even now, now, very now, an old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe”.(531) Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, accuses Othello of using witch craft on his daughter. “If she in chains of magic were not bound/ Whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy/ So opposite to marriage that she shunned…” (535) This point is important because Othello must defend himself not only to Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, but to the entire Venetian Senate. “And till she come, as truly as to heaven,/ I do confess the vices of my blood./ So justly to your grave ears I’ll present/ How I did thrive in this fair lady’s love, / And she in mine.” (539) Othello proves himself to be an intellectual hero early in the play. He has worked hard to gain respectability and power, but because he has a different background, is from another country, is dark-skinned and is older than Desdemona, he becomes jealous very quickly of Cassio. Cassio is from the same social class, is compatible with Desdemona and is a young handsome man. Iago has also convinced Cassio to seek favor with Desdemo...