Shakespeare's Jealousy

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How many people quote Shakespeare on a daily basis and do not even realize it? Numerous critics and English professors have deemed William Shakespeare the greatest playwright and one of the most influential writers in the English language. He composed thirty-seven plays, devised 1,700 original words, and standardized a large portion of the English grammar, spelling, and vocabulary throughout his career (Joki, Kimberly). Shakespeare introduced these new sayings and words through a numerous amount of his plays. The famous quotes such as, “To be or not to be” and “Wherefore art thou Romeo” are easily recognizable and take readers back to the Elizabethan era. Although people do not use those particular lines today, many of Shakespeare’s plays have coined the popular phrases found in modern vernacular, such as “green eyed monster,” “knock knock who’s there,” and “off with his head.” …show more content…

The popular metaphor, “the green-eyed-monster,” quickly replaced jealousy after first appearing in Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Othello,” when Iago says, “Oh beware my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on (Holodny, Elena). Green most commonly represented illnesses and disease. When gravely ill, many people’s skin took on a slightly yellow and green tinge. Shakespeare took sickness and envy to create the concept of feeling sick with jealousy. Because of this, “the green-eyed monster” still remains a part of the common English

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