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Jealousy In Othello Research Paper

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Jealousy: Othello By: Justin Pascual For: Mrs. McGivern Due: Monday, December 5, 2016 Period H The Theme of Jealousy in Othello Jealousy is the act of being envious of another’s achievements or advantages: jealousy can overcome a person and engulf all their thoughts, as well as ruining their life. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago poisons Othello’s mind with jealousy and it is seen in physical and emotional ways to such an extent, that by the time he realizes his mistakes it is too late and it leads to not only his own death, but to Desdemona’s, as well. Othello’s newly wed wife, Desdemona, is virtuous and fair and will always love her husband, and goes all the way to Venice to be with him. After they …show more content…

Following a conversation with Desdemona, Othello’s lieutenant, Cassio, leaves in a hurry, and Iago capitalizes on the opportunity to poison Othello’s mind: “Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?/ Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it,/ That he would steal away so guiltylike, Seeing you coming.” (3.3.38-41) Iago is planting the seeds of jealousy in Othello’s mind by being vague and nonchalant about the suspicious events occurring regarding Michael Cassio. This is the first of many stages of which Iago presses envious thoughts into Othello’s mind. Iago continues to bombard Othello with seemingly innocent comments about Desdemona and Cassio, but they inflict immense amounts of psychological damage. Iago and Othello converse about Desdemona’s potential affair with Cassio and Iago keeps leading Othello into believing it is reality: “Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy./ It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss…”(3.3.178-180) Iago is ambiguously stating that Othello may be a cuckold and this causes him to believe that Desdemona may truly be having an affair. Iago begins to realize that it does not take much to arouse jealousy in Othello and continues to lead him …show more content…

Othello requests that the people present state nothing but the truth to others: “Speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate/ Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak/ Of one that loved not wisely, but too well/ Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought,/ Perplexed in the extreme (5.2.351-356). Othello knows that he was manipulated by the villain Iago, but he does not want to be known as a person that was easily jealous, but as a man that was incredibly confused from his jealousy and that he was not smart about his love, but was too passionate. Othello’s life was destroyed by the lies fed to him by Iago, and with his last breaths, he realizes he was

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