Jealousy In Shakespeare's Othello

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William Shakespeare’s Othello is unlike any of his other tragedies. Instead of being centered on state-affairs, Othello focuses on a private matter (“Othello” Shakespeare for Students: Book One 411). Othello is molded around the characters’ passions and feelings; ultimately, jealousy leads to the deaths of Othello and his wife, Desdemona. Conflict in Othello originally appears when Iago, the play’s villain, is not awarded the position he desires and allows jealousy to overrun his reason. Jealous mistrust in Othello is terribly destructive and results in several main characters meeting their bitter end. Instead of becoming Othello’s lieutenant, Iago is made a flag-bearer while Cassio becomes Othello’s lieutenant. Iago felt insulted and proclaimed: …show more content…
From the initial start of the play, passion brings out the worst in characters. Iago’s passionate desire to become lieutenant causes him to form a series of violent plans that will eliminate Cassio. Iago’s plans also inspire his supporter, Roderigo, to pursue his desires for Desdemona. Iago’s initial jealousy inflicts most of the main characters and causes conflict throughout the play. Othello is centered on love; however, the dominant focus of the play is jealousy and how it leads to chaos and damnation (“Othello.” The Greenwood Companion 774). Jealousy takes on the role of a character and actually becomes a deadly form of self-harm throughout the course of the play (“Othello.” The Greenwood Companion 775). . Jealousy leads to irrational thinking amongst the noblest character and it also leads to mistrust amongst several other characters. Jealousy forms the direction in which the play goes; without it, several situations in the play would be completely irrational. All conflicts in the play root from Iago’s initial jealousy (“Othello.” The Greenwood Companion 774-775). If Iago never had a problem with Cassio being ranked as Othello’s lieutenant, he would not have held a grudge against Othello and Cassio. On the other hand, if Othello were not jealous of the thought of Cassio and Desdemona having an affair, he would have remained levelheaded. However, jealousy destroyed everything Othello knew and even drove him mad (“Othello.” Shakespeare A-Z 672). If not for jealousy Othello would be a completely different
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