Jealousy, whether originating from an existent or imagined threat to one’s ego, can lead to an irrational search for justice in the form of revenge. Throughout the play Othello, set in medieval Venice and written by William Shakespeare, the influence of villainous soldier and manipulator Iago is seen in the slow collapse of the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. These two newlyweds are an interracial couple who had deceived the bride’s father in order to marry. The title character is a general in the venetian army and Iago feels wronged when Cassio, a soldier with much less experience on the battlefield than himself, is promoted. The jealous soldier takes his revenge by bringing about the general’s downfall, tricking him into believing …show more content…
This reveals to him that his search for justice had failed and was entirely misguided and pointless. After reflecting upon his actions, he feels that he does not recognize himself. When a man asks where Othello is, the general himself responds by saying, “That’s he that was Othello. Here I am” (5.2.334). He can no longer claim identity to the respected name “Othello '' when he has debased himself, and more importantly his reputation, by acting in such a violent and jealous manner. Shortly after this statement, he speaks to the corpse of Desdemona, explaining, “I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss” (5.2.420-421). When describing how there is no way for him to receive justice for his crimes other than to die, the extent to which he believes death brings righteousness is again revealed. His own death is the only way to atone for his crimes. Othello’s search for justice betrays itself to be void of reason and unnecessary in its entirety, with only Iago receiving justice from the general’s …show more content…
He feels that her assumed disloyalty is an injustice, and the vengeance he chooses is completely out of proportion with the supposed acts committed against him. The general’s search for vengeance creates the arc of his downfall, both beginning and entirely ending his storyline as the revenge he starts out searching for is eventually what causes his death. Many acts of violence in the world are committed out of jealousy, as it easily creates obsessive behavior. When people are in this frenzied state, overreaction easily occurs and sometimes results in cruelty towards others. Control over one’s emotions is an essential skill, as letting irrational feelings of jealousy overtake reason can often have negative consequences. Domestic violence would decrease if there was an increase in widespread education fostering emotional management, so that situations do not become so out of control that the outcome is
"Othello" by Shakespeare is a well-known and outstanding literary composition which pays distinctive attention to the dangers associated with jealousy. The play deals with the root and driving force of all evil and exemplifies how far jealousy can induce a human being as well as destroy lives by mere circumstantial evidence. According to Godfrey (1972), “Jealousy, once awakened, becomes self-perpetuating, self-intensifying, and where no evidence for it exists, the jealous person under the impulse of an extraordinary perversity will continue to manufacture it”. Jealousy manages the characters’ lives in "Othello" from the beginning of the play, when Roderigo feels jealousy towards Othello because he desires to be with Desdemona, and to the ending of the play, when Othello is furious with envy because he supposes Cassio and Desdemona have been engaging in a love affair. Some characters’ jealousy is generated by other characters.
I'll kill myself with a kiss. " By kissing her before he kills her, Othello expresses his love for Desdemona and the fact that he still cares for her even in the moment of her death. The phrase "no way but this" suggests that Othello feels he has no other choice but to kill both Desdemona and himself. He sees no hope for redemption or forgiveness, and the only way to escape the pain of his guilt and grief is through death. In conclusion, Othello's tragic fate, brought about by his own actions
But i pray you, sir,” (Othello1.2.1-10) In the first quote Iago talks about his plan to betray Othello for his own self-gain. Iago states that he will be loyal to Othello until he can find a way to act out his revenge. Iago then demonstrates his ability to trick and deceive when he tells Othello that he had to stop himself from killing Brabantio after he disrespected Othello. Othello gave his trust to Iago because he was not aware of Iago’s secret sinister plan of betrayal.
In Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello, the play centers around the calamitous ruin of the marriage of Othello and Desdemona within Venice, Italy perpetrated by the villainous, vengeful Iago, a malicious man who vows to do anything within his power to destroy Othello’s state of being through psychological tactics of manipulation and dishonesty. Although, Iago was the sole mastermind in orchestrating the plot to bring Othello down, ultimately other characters within the play played a significant factor in the doleful death of Desdemona, centered around the commonality of deceit, jealousy, and miscommunication of the likeness of Othello, Michael Cassio, Roderigo, Emilia, and Desdemona. This was assisted predominantly by their own oblivious nature
This is exactly how the felt after learning his close friend, Iago, was actually his worst enemy. Seeing the result of his own downfall lying life is in the bed he realizes he was a tragic hero and Iago's own play. Othello's fatal flaw of judgment was that he trusted Iago.
Jealousy is the most dominant theme of Othello. “Honest” Iago, the protagonist, is utterly absorbed with his jealousy of Michael Cassio because Cassio was chosen as lieutenant instead of Iago. He yearns for everyone to be as miserable as himself by implementing seeds of doubt resulting jealousy of other characters. His mind is clouded by animosity; Iago acquires for others to be justly jealous shown through Iago’s manipulation of characters, especially Othello.
Othello is characterized as honest, brave, honorable, and deeply trusted by members of the state. Early in the play, he exhibits all these traits-Desdemona praises him, the dukes choose him to be a general in war, and he is known for his good reputation. Nonetheless, like most Shakespearian characters, Othello has a fatal flaw-he is gullible. Iago, Othello’s loyal ensign and avid hater, uses this flaw to manipulate him and cause his downfall. He centers his plan around Othello's “free and open nature” (Shakespeare 1.3.390).
Othello is so blind from jealousy that Iago ends up brainwashing and manipulating Othello into killing his wife. Othello chooses to kill himself after coming to his senses and realizing what he did, he states, “I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss.” He now becomes aware that he made the wrong judgements towards the one person who showed him true love and commitment. It is a little too late when Othello eventually realizes that Iago has betrayed him.
In the beginning of the tragedy Othello tells Brabantio to “Keep up your bright swords signior, for the dew will rust them” (1.2.72-73). This statement gives the reader insight to Othello’s level-head and smart decisions, before he allowed jealousy to cloud his vision. Othello becomes convinced that Desdemona has cheated on him with Cassio; therefore, he is angered and beings to seek revenge for a crime that was never committed. Iago tells Othello “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (3.3.187-189).
The two characters are meant to balance each other out, but Iago gets too deep in Othello’s head, leaving him susceptible to lash out. Shakespeare wants to bring attention to the fact that no matter how hard one tries, the darkness creeps on eventually and wins. By this point in the play, all the character’s true colors have been shown. “Othello is forced to recognize that he lives in a tragic world, and he pays the price” which causes him to have his tragic downfall(Harbage). Othello saw the good in people, until his peers lied to him and betrayed him.
Shakespeare’s play, Othello, deeply explores the effects of jealousy on a person. Shakespeare also portrays the different types of jealousy and alludes to the causes of them. Othello is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare around 1603, about a man, Iago, who plots to take revenge on a Moorish soldier, Othello, for he has “done my (Iago’s) office”. The deaths of several people, including Othello’s wife Desdemona, Iago’s wife Emilia, Othello and Iago’s companion Roderigo, were all directly linked to Iago’s actions. Othello illustrates that jealousy often leads to revenge, jealousy can prevent a successful relationship, and jealousy leading to one’s downfall.
Othello’s life transforms the second he steps into Cyprus. Iago’s motives are devastating as he plan’s to take Othello’s position, regardless of the cost. Iago plants the seed of deceit and unfaithfulness when he hints of an affair involving Othello’s love, Desdemona and Cassio. An overwhelming feeling of jealously takes a hold in Othello’s life. Othello is no longer the well spoken, and respected army general that everyone knew him to be, but instead a short tempered man with little respect for
Iago reveals the reason for his hatred of Othello, believing Othello was committing adultery with his wife, plotting to destroy Othello and Cassio's reputations. Ending his soliloquy, Iago mentions that heaven and hell would bring a monstrous birth to the world's light, meaning that Iago will bring forth a plan to completely destroy Othello's
Iago convinces Othello of false information, convincing him to kill Desdemona. Easily manipulated by Iago, Othello’s inherent character flaw, irrational jealousy, directly interferes with his common sense, driving him into a murderous rage. The result, the unjust murder of Desdemona, also leads to Othello’s own suicide. In the case of Othello, the audience watches as his tragic flaw destroys Othello’s life and brings about his fall from grace.
He falls in love with Desdemona, against Brabantio’s [her father] will. Iago, the antagonist, develops a hatred for Othello caused by him not getting chosen for lieutenant, added to his racism, that lead up to his revenge on the protagonist.