Introduction
Jealousy is one of the significant characteristics of Othello, and it becomes the trigger that makes him the tragic hero in the play. Overcome by jealousy, he is unable to control his emotions and ends up killing the wife he loves, leaving him with a deep sense of anguish. Othello is the victim of manipulations, and other protagonists in the play use his jealousy to destroy his life, which is typical for the tragic hero (Metzger 117).
The primary thing that ruins Othello’s destiny is jealousy, which makes him vulnerable, and his enemies use this weakness. Iago starts the series of events that incite Othello’s jealousy, ultimately resulting in most of the essential characters in the play falling from disfavor. Shakespeare shows the readers the tragic image of an individual who destroys what he values most in his life out of jealousy and rage in the discussed tragedy.
Jealousy as a Theme Characterising Iago
Iago is the one who cultivates a foundation of doubt and resentment in Othello’s heart. In Act III, Scene 3, Cassio addresses Desdemona and requests that she stand to accompany him to Othello (Shakespeare). Desdemona readily consents because Cassio is Othello’s trusted companion. She pledges to discuss the subject with her spouse several times until the argument is resolved and Cassio is called back.
Iago and Othello come, and Cassio, ashamed of his misdeeds from the night before, hugs Desdemona before leaving. Iago takes the chance to say the insulting thing that Cassio was “stealing away so guilty-like” (Shakespeare line 39). Iago incites envy in Othello by using substantial implications in his remarks and by acting as if he is an individual who can not accept what he is noticing. It creates the feeling that Iago’s opinion is based on facts and moral reasoning, and Othello believes in his authority. It is the reason for the subsequent downfall of the main protagonist, and it might not have happened if Othello had understood that Iago is a manipulator and liar.
Iago uses indirect hints to make Othello make independent conclusions concerning Desdemona and her character. For instance, Iago refers to Desdemona lying to her father when she wants to marry Othello. He makes Othello think that the ability to deceive the person she loves is typical for Desdemona; therefore, there is nothing strange about her lying to her husband.
As Brabantio states, Desdemona only creates the illusion that she is frightened by the brutality of Othello and his dark features, but in reality, “she lov’d them most” (Shakespeare line 207). In all cases, people surrounding Othello make him think about Desdemona negatively, even though his initial feelings are based on love. Othello’s enemies understand that the man is emotional and passionate, deliberately making him hesitate in his wife’s faithfulness.
Jealousy in Actions of Othello
Othello feels that Desdemona irritates him regardless of what she says, but he still loves her passionately. He cannot cope with his emotions; jealousy is the most destructive feeling of the sensations Othello experiences. After his wife leaves, he says, “Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, / But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, / Chaos comes again” (Shakespeare lines 90–92). These lines show that Othello becomes the victim of manipulations guided by Iago. He does not feel that his intimate love is secure and stable, and it causes strong negative emotions based on jealousy. As a result, Othello’s mind is similar to chaos, as he acknowledges, but he cannot change it, which leads to his downfall.
It is possible to hypothesize that jealousy develops from the protagonist’s pride, which is connected to his self-esteem. Othello is a nobleman with a high rank as an aristocrat, but due to his ethnic difference from his surroundings, he feels that he is worse than others. Therefore, he does not believe that Desdemona can love him sincerely and be faithful even though all facts show that it is true. It is possible to describe Othello’s life as the desire for revenge that is enhanced by jealousy (Cressler 75).
Iago, in his turn, has the image of a person who never lies, which makes Othello believe everything the man says. As a result, Iago uses his credibility in the eyes of Othello and others for manipulations because no one thinks he can lie to someone. It states that the circumstances for Othello were unfavorable, and all the above issues contributed to his deception, manipulation of his self-worth, and jealousy.
Conclusion
Jealousy determines the character’s behavior, and it is a recurring theme in the tragedy. Iago and Othello’s main characters exhibit this jealousy and demonstrate how it impacts them. Iago is compelled to reveal his true self, and Othello completely changes from a typical person into a vengeful beast. Envy does lead to horrifying changes in a person.
Consequently, the play shows how Othello progressively loses control of his emotions because of jealousy, which arises from vanity and generates resentment, destroying his initial nobility and eventually turning him into the brutal beast he was initially falsely accused of being. Along with the deterioration of his affection and trust for Desdemona, Othello’s spiritual and moral standing also suffers.
Works Cited
Cressler, Loren. “Malcontented Iago and Revenge Tragedy Conventions in Othello.” Studies in Philology, vol. 116, no. 1, 2019, pp. 73–100.
Metzger, Mary Janell. “Shakespearean Tragedy, Ethics, and Social Justice.” Teaching Social Justice Through Shakespeare: Why Renaissance Literature Matters Now, edited by Hillary Eklund and Wendy Beth Hyman, Edinburgh University Press, 2019, pp. 115–23.
Shakespeare, William. Othello. The Project Gutenberg, 2023.