Jealousy In William Shakespeare's Othello

Words: 536

Pages: 3

Open Document

As a trusting man and good leader, Othello heeds the advise of his subordinates, but this character trait, leads him to trust a liar and suspect his loyal companion Cassio. He lets himself become convinced by “honest” Iago that his wife is being unfaithful, and his lieutenant has betrayed him. When he sees Cassio courting Desdemona to get back into Othello’s good graces, he asks to know Iago’s thoughts on the matter, and Iago’s hesitant act draws him in “If thou dost love me, / Show me thy thought” (3.3.115-16). Iago has Othello under his thumb, abusing the good nature he promised to protect, while he throws his marriage into doubt and turmoil. His believing nature will lead him to feel the vehement sting of betrayal from his suspects. James P. Hammersmith states that the trait itself is not a flaw, “Othello's trusting nature would have done him no …show more content…
Nature would not invest / herself in such a shadowing passion without some instruction.” (4.1.39-40) Once he is certain of Desdemona’s guilt, he is no longer capable of acting rationally, and is determined to get revenge. The handkerchief is what convinces him, as it acts as a potent symbol for Desdemona’s fidelity, and once she loses it, she also loses her innocence in Othello’s eyes. Although Iago exploited Othello’s trust, Othello was quick to disavow his own lieutenant and wife after he is presented with circumstantial evidence of their disloyalty. John Channing Briggs says, “The handkerchief is for Othello far more than a mechanical sign. It is freighted with Othello's love, his stories, his family identity, his semi-magical exoticism, his fidelity” and thus it carries much more weight for Othello as circumstantial proof. The symbolism behind the handkerchief was much more powerful motivator for Othello’s reaction than the handkerchief itself, which prompted his hateful

Jealousy In William Shakespeare's Othello

William Shakespeare is one of the the most prolific writers of all times. Arguably, he can be considered to have impacted the english language more than any other author or playwright; he has coined many words that are still in use today that prior to his writings did not exist.Shakespeare wrote numerous sonnets as well as plays. Even though he wrote comedies as well as histories, Shakespeare is most famous for his tragedies. plays like Hamlet, Macbeth,and Romeo and Juliet explore the darker side…

Words 1652 - Pages 7

Othello Tragic Hero Essay

William Shakespeare’s Othello, is considered one of Shakespeare’s most tragic plays. The audience is shown the protagonist, Othello, as a tragic hero. Othello is displayed as a nobleman in Venice. He marries Desdemona without acceptance from her father. Othello takes pride in the love of his new wife. As the play progresses, Iago, the villain, manipulates Othello’s emotions into jealousy through Othello’s pride and internalized racism. The fatal flaw of Othello’s jealousy and lack of self-confidence…

Words 1313 - Pages 6

Tragic Flaws of Othello Essay

Jealousy and Gullibility: The Devastating Flaws of Othello By: Ryan Mongon "The tragic flaw is the most important part of the hero and the events that occur in the work is a reflection of that flaw." Aristotle The plot of William Shakespeare's Othello is a tale of love, jealousy, and betrayal; however, the characters, themes, and attitudes of the works are different, with Shakespeare's play being a more involved study of human nature and psychology. Othello is considered to be a prime example…

Words 1124 - Pages 5

Essay about Othello's Relevance in Today's Society

Othello, written by William Shakespeare is a tragic play that has been widely popular up to the present even when it was written many centuries ago. This play is still revelant and also relates to the current community with the use of unordinary descriptions such as imagery which allows us to explore deeper into humans and their relationships with not just one another but also the atmosphere around them. It shows the typical stereotypes that are compared with the people of the current society. Othello…

Words 809 - Pages 4

Othello: Jealousy

involves the personal instinct of wanting ( envy ) something that belongs to someone else or wanting something that you can’t have. While Most people have experienced jealousy in their life at one time, not everyone deals with it the same. In William Shakespeare’s play, “Othello”, the main thought to be noble character is consumed with jealousy when he is deceived to think his wife’s attention belong to someone else. He kills her in a jealous rage,…

Words 494 - Pages 2

Manipulation In Shakespeare's Othello Is Still Relevant Today

Othello, by William Shakespeare, was written in the 1600's and Othello, the protagonist, is one of Shakespeare's most compelling and unfortunate heroes. The author set the story in the Italian State of Venice. Being one of Shakespeare’s most well-known works, it was written for the 16th century audience, however an abundant amount of themes shown throughout the story are timeless. Most of the disastrous plots and themes that took place in the story were caused by one of the many antagonists, Iago…

Words 1522 - Pages 7

Othello Tragic Hero Essay

William Shakespeare has written many prominent plays that were centered on a specific emotion that propelled the play forward and moved the story along. Shakespeare has proven to be one of the greatest story writers of his time, and many times using his ability to play with emotions. Shakespeare’s 1603-04 play Othello drove on the passion of jealousy, being a tragic hero, and being betrayal. Othello showed all of these throughout the play. Othello was pretty jealous when he was convinced by Iago…

Words 441 - Pages 2

Othello's Jealousy

of living that society adopted over the course of its evolution. William Shakespeare’s writing, however, has stayed relevant throughout societies timeline as his characters, although set in olden times, have shown the fundamentals of human nature. Jealousy, being a main topic in Shakespeare’s playwriting, is shown heavily in his plays including the As You Like It, Othello and Twelfth Night. Initially, when jumping into Shakespeare’s literature, one is able to note that he bases his plays on two major…

Words 1187 - Pages 5

Three Symbols In Othello's Coat Of Arms

Othello is a Shakespearean tragedy laced with themes such as prejudice, love, jealousy, manipulation, and deception. Othello is the protagonist of the play. He is portrayed as a strong man with love as his weakness and jealousy, his ultimate downfall. Therefore, Othello’s coat of arms is composed of three symbols depicting three themes in the play: love, jealousy and Deception. Red rose for love, green ivy for jealousy (the green eyes monster), and a dagger to symbolize deception. Love is one of…

Words 1109 - Pages 5

What Is Jealousy In Othello

Jealousy in Othello Jealousy is a demon that rips through you and takes you hostage, causing you to make irrational decisions. Some people even think jealousy is healthy because it means that you care. Acts of jealousy take place in William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Othello in three instances. Othello, the hero, succumbs to jealousy when Iago convinces him that Desdemona has been an unfaithful wife. Also, Roderigo becomes jealous of Desdemona’s occupancy with Othello. At the end of his tale…

Words 633 - Pages 3