Exploring the Ways in Which Shakespeare Presents Leontes and His
Descents into Jealousy
Camillo and Archidamus, two loyal and committed courtiers, introduce
the character of Leontes to us in the opening scene. . He is presented
as a loving father to his son Mamillius, a gracious host and most of
all a kind and dedicated friend to Polixenes. “There rooted betwixt
them then such an affection that cannot choose but branch now”,
Camillo says to emphasize the very strong foundation of their
friendship. The language Camillo adapts conjures an image of a tree as
a symbol of closeness and continuity. This portrays their friendship
in a much more natural light. This view is contrary to the character
we meet in the latter part of the play, which Shakespeare might have
been hinting with use of the word, “seemed”.
On meeting, Leontes for the first time, he seems to meet up to the
expectation set to the readers by the courtiers, as he is evidently a
man of a good nature. This in my opinion is very important, as
Shakespeare finds it necessary to establish his character in a good
light before the incident where his mind begins to get “poisoned”.
Leontes’ kindness and love for his friend, Polixenes is made evident
by the use of the word “brother”. Also though, Leontes does not
declare love in the same way Hermione does, he still makes evident his
affection and fondness of his wife. “Hermione, my dearest”
In contrary to the portrayal of Leontes as seen earlier, he is totally
presented in a different way the next time we meet his character.
Shakespeare subtly indicates a change in his state of mind by the use
of questions, which have double meanings. “Is he won yet?” This might
mean whether or not Hermione has won over Polixenes’ intentions to
stay in Sicilia or more likely, whether or not she has had sexual
intercourse with him. The sudden descent of jealousy in the mind of
Leontes is finally confirmed by the aside comment. “Too hot, too hot!
To mingle friendship far is mingling blood”.
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.
When first the audience encounters young Laertes, he is found giving his advice upon his sister of Ophelia before he sets out for France, as some like C. P. Aichinger speculate, “[anxious] to return to the fleshpots of Paris” (Aichinger, par. 9). In this scene, Laertes gives a thorough warning to his sister to be careful of the affections of Hamlet whose noble birth will impede upon their relationship, as such “His greatness weighed, his will is not his own. / For he himelf is subject to his birth” (Shakespeare 1.3.17-18), yet as Ophelia retorts of Laertes’ hypocricy to lecture her, as “Himself the primrose pathof dalliance treads / And recks not his own rede” (Shakespeare 1.3.50-51). This scene speaks to the two-sided nature of Laertes, as he preaches to his sister despite himself walking a path of sin. Polonius, Laertes’ father, enters the scene after and proceeds to himself give advice and blessing upon his s...
“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.
A daughter’s first love is usually her father, an observation Shakespeare heavily relied on as he wrote many of his plays. He successfully mastered the art of explaining the traditional Elizabethan marriage ritual as well as the importance of father-daughter relationships. Although, as Lynda E. Boose author of “The Father and the Bride in Shakespeare” explains, Shakespeare’s creation of many father-daughter relationships and wedding rituals in his plays were not always successful and some tended to distort or make fun of the expectations held by Elizabethan society, especially in the case of Romeo and Juliet where her wedding scene to Romeo violates all aspects of the traditional marriage ceremony.
Laertes holds the most important role as a foil to Hamlet. He represents the rage that boils within Hamlet and the revenge which he seeks. In many ways Laertes mirrors Hamlet's character. Their anger is precipitated through the same source, the untimely death of their fathers. Other similarities between the two men include the love that they both felt for Ophelia, and the heartfelt sorrow which they displayed upon her tragic death. The differences between Hamlet and Laertes become obvious as the two characters are played off of each other. Both men are the dutiful sons of their father's. However Leartes is portrayed as the well-breed son, while Hamlet's character is played down to that of a more peculiar type commoner who possesses few royal qualities. Although both men are students, Leartes prefers to indulges in a Parisian type lifestyle, whereas Hamlet chooses to study in the more subdued atmosphere of Whittenburg. There is also a difference in the way that both men react to the death of their fathers. Upon learning of his father's death, Laertes immediately allows his grievances to be known and chooses to go strait to the arena for his revenge. Hamlet chooses a more peculiar approach...
the land that he as a patriarch would own (11); his woe, his land, and his daughter are all merely possessions of his. In fact the words “me”, “my” or “mine” are used 10 times through the whole speech. Antonio’s immediate reaction to this is to compare Leonato to a child which reinforces the idea of emotional self-indulgence. Leonato may even childishly mock Antonio, the reference to a counsellor who “will smile and stroke his beard” possibly referring to a gesture of Antonio’s earlier in the scene (14). Certainly he has a long passage of 5 lines where, without pause, he engages in ridiculing antithesis mocking the foolery of counsel, of one who would “Patch grief with proverbs” and a satiric onomatopoeia of the “hem” of a foolish counsellor (16-7). This image of words being an unsatisfactory cure for emotions is carried on in the third section of the speech, after the pause suggested by the short line after the second occurrence of “patience” (19). His righteous anger subsides, he refers to Antonio amicably as “brother”, and he begins to explain more calmly and in lyrical, less harsh terms of why counsel is not appropriate here (20). It is characteristic of Shakespeare to make one statement several times in different forms for different strata of the audience. Here, his rhetoric is more complicated and tailored to the aristocratic,
Have you ever been jealous of someone due to some reason? One can understand how jealousy can affect him or her to do horrible things. Jealousy causes people to perform stupid actions that they would not have done if they were not jealous of something or someone. The protagonist and the antagonist are mostly driven by love and filled with the feeling of jealousy. Due to the feeling of jealousy felt by the antagonist, Iago about not getting the job he wanted, he makes a plan to somehow destroy Othello’s love for Desdemona. As the play progresses, the protagonist, Othello begins to appear more like Iago, as his jealousy destroys his wife and consumes his life. Therefore, jealousy is personified as a “green eyed monster” through the combination of Othello’s credulous nature and Iago’s malicious villainy. It is the reason for the change in Iago’s and Othello’s behavior, impacts the insecurity
It's not love that is blind, but jealousy. In this beautiful small town of Venice, there is moor and his beautiful wife Desdemona, and the evil Iago, Roderigo, and Cassio. Othello is married to the beautiful Desdemona. He is an honorable man he was loyal to Venice, he was the general of an army. All of a sudden he started to act different, he started to change because Iago had told him that his wife Desdemona was fooling around with Cassio. Othello believes Iago because he trusted Iago, the same way he trusted everyone. Rodrigo had found out about Iago's plan to try to ruin Othello's life, so the two started to work together because Rodrigo was jealous that Othello had Desdemona and he wants her, Iago was jealous of the fact that Othello was trusted too much with many things, he was jealous that everyone loved Othello. So Iago planned everything out He planted things and messed with people's minds to have everything go down. Jealous is everywhere because you might want something that someone else has, you might wanna be just like someone, you might just want something just for yourself that you believe anything
In the context of the seventeenth century, Shakespeare was writing in a time where he would have had to create great atmosphere and setting. Creating the important bond with his language and attachment between the actors and the audience whilst competing with the racket of the crowd who called out, hurled fruit and tried to join in with the performance on stage. These performances would therefore demonstrate the isolation and seclusion of the racial or female roles that Shakespeare carefully constructed in his work.
In the Shakespearean play, Romeo & Juliet, aggression is represented in different ways by the different characters in the play. Tybalt, Romeo, Benvolio, and the others all have their own way of dealing with hate and anger. Some do nothing but hate while others can’t stand to see even the smallest of quarrels take place.
“Think on thy sins” (5.2.43) he says, “They are loves I bear to you” (5.2.44) I respond. “Ay, and for that thou diest” (5.2.45). There is no pleading with my lord, his once amorous filled eyes are now brimming with anger, and anguish. This whole conversation has turned my mind into mush. How can he think that I would ever love Cassio? Is it not plain that he, Othello, is my lord and the only object of my affection? Does it not matter? I think it doesn’t. Othello’s whole body is shaking (5.2.50) and his eyes are rolling (5.2.41), these signs do not bode well for my life. Worse yet, he has already had Cassio killed. “Oh, banish me, my lord, kill me not!” (5.2.88) I beg, “Down, Strumpet,” he is undeterred (5.2.89). “It is too late” (5.2.95). I am not sure if I thought that, or if Othello said it. Either way, it is too late. His strong, calloused fingers are clutching my throat, violently squeezing until all of the air leaves my lungs. Spots- I see spots. Brightly colored yellow, red and blue spots. The spots grow and take shape. Images and scenes from my life are passing before my eyes, and then it hits me. “O, falsely, falsely murdered!” I cry (5.2.126). Emilia is here, “… Sweet Desdemona, O sweet mistress, speak!” she begs (5.2.131). I must tell her, “A guiltless death I die” (5.2.132). “O, who hath done this deed?” Emilia inquires (5.2.133). She has to know the truth, “Nobody, I myself. Farewell. Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell” (5.2.134-135).
Examine the role of jealousy, love, and/or betrayal in Othello. You may want to pick one character (Iago or Othello perhaps?) and focus on one issue.(O) 15
The psychological feeling of jealousy is defined as “a complex emotion marked by insecurity and the fear of losing something important. It is highlighted by feelings of abandonment and anger” (Alleydog.com). In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, jealousy acts as a catalyst for the tragic events that take place. Iago’s plan for Othello’s demise is motivated by jealousy, as Iago is enraged by not being chosen as Othello’s lieutenant, and due to his suspicion that his wife was having an affair with Othello. Roderigo also displays jealousy and envy towards Othello, which results in him providing money and assistance to Iago in exchange for helping Roderigo win over Desdemona. However, the greatest display
Othello is one of the best and most famous literary works of William Shakespeare's that expresses the danger of jealousy. The play studies how jealousy can be accelerated by ordinary circumstances evidence leading to the destruction of lives. The protagonist in the play succumbs to jealousy brought about by people leading to death at the end of the play. In the play, jealousy takes many different forms from professional competition to sexual suspicion, but whichever the form, it always leads to destruction. This paper focuses on the theme of jealousy depicted in Shake spheres play expressing what it drives people to do.
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.