The Relationship Between Love And Hate In Othello

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"The Relationship Between Love and Hate in Othello"

A.C. Bradley describes Othello as "by far the most romantic figure among Shakespeare's heroes"(Shakespearean Tragedy, 1). This is an unusual description of a man who murders his own wife. However, Othello's feelings of hate for Desdemona started as an overwhelming love for her when their relationship began. This transformation from love to hate also inflicted the characters Iago and Roderigo and like Othello their hatred resulted in the murder of innocent people. Roderigo's love for Desdemona was transformed into hate towards any man that he thought was loved by her. Iago's love for his job and his wife, Emilia changed into a destructive hatred of Cassio and Othello. As a result of their hatred Cassio, Emilia, and at the end themselves were killed. The connection between love and hate in William Shakespeare's "Othello" is the ugly feeling of jealousy that caused such transformations. Jealousy can be described as a fear of losing something or someone that is valuable (Godfrey 2). As minor as this feeling appears to be by that definition, it can take on varying degrees of damaging behavior. Othello, Roderigo, and Iago became paralyzed by jealousy. Their thoughts, actions, and behaviors were ruled by it. Jealousy caused their inability to the act rationally. They became paranoid and unable to love. This paper will examine the jealousy that caused love to turn into hate for Roderigo, Othello, and Iago.

Roderigo begins with a small jealousy of Othello for being married to Desdemona. It isn't until Iago makes Roderigo believe Desdemona does not really love Othello that Roderigo becomes destructive. Iago tells Roderigo, "It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue...

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...ide of the Moor: A View of Othello's Mind." Shakespeare Survey: An Animal Survey of Shakespearean Study and Production. Vol 10. 1957. 98-106. Novels for Students. 20 November 2004. http://www.enotes.com/othello/17321/print

Godfrey, D.R. "Shakespeare and the Green-Eyed Monster." Neophilologus. Vol VI. No 2. 1972 April. 207-20. Novels for Students. 7 November 2004. http://www.enotes.com/othello/17318/print

Mabillard, Amanda. "Othello Analysis." Shakespeare Online. 2000. 7 November 2004. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/othello.html

Shakespeare, William. "Othello." Literature: The Human Experience. Abcarian, Robert and Marvin Klotz, eds. Bedford/St. Martins: New York, 2002. 1134-1235.

Watkinson, A. "Othello: The Ironic Interdependence of Othello and Iago." Novels for Students. 5 November 2004. http://www.enotes.com/othello/743/print

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