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Othello Jealousy Essay

675 Words3 Pages

Joseph Choi
Berry Sullivan
ENG3U1
2023-06-20
Explain why the theme jealousy develop in Othello
Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello" portrays a tale of love, jealousy, betrayal, and violence. The central theme of jealousy is deeply embedded throughout the play and plays a significant role in shaping the actions of its characters. In this essay, we will examine how jealousy develops in Othello with an emphasis on Othello's insecurities about his race and fear of being cuckolded, Iago's manipulation of Othello's jealousy, Roderigo's unrequited love for Desdemona, the destructive power of jealousy on judgment and trust, and the betrayal and violence that inevitably follows unchecked jealousy.

Othello’s Jealousy
Othello is a black general who leads Venice’s army to victory against the Turks. His marriage to Desdemona raises eyebrows among many Venetians including his trusted …show more content…

He is madly in love with Desdemona but realizes that she has eyes only for Othello. Roderigo believes that he has been wronged; he feels that Desdemona has cheated on him by choosing Othello instead of him (Wyman). Iago manipulates Roderigo into believing that if they take down Cassio and make it look like he slept with Desdemona, then Othello will be jealous enough to kill Cassio himself, leaving Desdemona available for Roderigo.

The Destructive Power of Jealousy
Jealousy distorts perception, making people believe what they want to hear or see rather than what is true (Bartels). In “Othello,” this happens when Othello becomes consumed by jealousy after listening to Iago’s lies about the affair between Cassio and Desdemona. This leads to a cascading effect where he begins questioning every action of hers which clouds his judgment leading him to commit atrocities against those closest to him including his wife whom he murders out of blind fury (Felperin).

Betrayal and Violence Resulting from

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