Jealousy In Othello Analysis

Jealousy, whatever it may be driven by, can produce many different actions in a person depending on their desires. Othello craftly examines a few examples of these with highly contrasting characters driven by vastly different things. The different manifestations of jealousy in said characters can be analysed through the characters of Roderigo, Othello, and Iago, while also proving how jealousy can sometimes be a front for more cynister feelings.

Rodrigo’s character serves as an example of true jealousy over love, rather as a facade to cover-up another motivation, as seen with Othello and Iago. He displays a decline in power once wrought with jealousy, rather than the upshot seen in the other two. Iago and Othello take matters into their own

Through the first part of the play Othello remains the calm voice of reason, believing himself to possess a “perfect soul” (1.2.36). This is significant because when he grants himself the role of an exempt man from a rigid moral code because his wife is supposedly cheating on him, it shows his true nature, motivated not truly by jealousy, but protection of his honor. Therefore allowing a caveat for the murder of his supposed love, which he is proudly open about, proclaiming to Emilia, “She’s like a liar gone burning to Hell! ‘Twas I that killed her.” (5.2.159-160). Othello is desperate for people to know that he has swiftly dealt with his allegedly cheating wife to defend his honor and reputation. Rather than maintaining his reasonable disposition he possesses for a large duration of the play he gets blinded by jealousy, turning to lunacy. An example of this is when he begins to spew gibberish in the presence of Iago, upset with his wife's alleged infidelity, saying, “Pish! Noses, ears, and lips--is’t possible? Confess--handkerchief--O, devil!” (4.1.50-52). In the earlier moments of the play Othello’s words are meticulously chosen as to come off as intelligent and a man of high stature, however in this moment he breaks the trend of powerful, well thought out words. It is proof that jealousy can attenuate the better judgement of those who

His two pillars of motivation for his plotted chaos is being passed over for the lieutenancy position, and more importantly, his wife's alleged cheating on him. At the beginning of the play Iago is displayed as having some redeeming qualities to keep the audience wondering whether or not they should sympathize with him. There are lines early on that allude to his devilish nature when Iago compares himself to Satan, “When the devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with the heavenly shows, as I do now.” (3.2.371-373). He is saying that he could be comparable to the Devil in the way that they are both sneaky in their mischievous deeds, first presenting themselves as upstanding allies. Iago is finally presented as a true villain beyond reproach or his mere jealousy on being cheated on or being passed over for the lieutenancy position, as seen when he monologues to the audience whenever revealing his plots as if immensely proud of himself. The explicit proof of this is the murder of Emilia by Iago as soon as she becomes defiant against him, his last words to her being, “Villainous whore!” (5.2.273). His display of a lack of care for her proves how little he cares for that which he calls his wife, and finally quells the audience of any inkling Iago’s actions will be