Othello's Jelousy

Othello is a tragedy written by the famous playwright, William Shakespeare. Othello is an African general of Venice, he promotes Michael Cassio to the position of lieutenant and Iago is extremely jealous. Iago begins an evil scheme against Othello and manipulates him into thinking Desdemona is cheating on him. Othello returns to the castle and kills his innocent wife. A tragedy is a literary work in which the main character meets a sad or devastating ending. In Elizabethan dramas, the basis of tragedy is usually a lethal imperfection in the hero’s personality. Othello’s character flaw is his irrational jealousy because it leads him to believe Iago’s lies without actual proof and he goes as far as killing his innocent wife.

An article use that was provided is “Othello’s Jealousy” written by A. C. Bradley. This article basically mentions how Othello’s jealousy leads to his demise. His jealousy leads him to be too trusting of Iago. His jealousy leads him to have a broken perception. Bradley says Othello’s “tragedy lies in this—that his whole nature was indisposed to jealousy, and yet was such that he was unusually open to deception, and, if once wrought to passion, likely to act with little reflection, with no delay, and in the most decisive manner conceivable” (Bradley). This identifies Othello’s jealousy because it proves that his jealously damages his perception and causes him to be false and commit things in a spontaneous manner, with no reflection.

Othello’s jealousy causes him to be erratic. Lodovico arrives from Venice with orders for Othello to go back to Venice, with Cassio taking his place. Othello strikes Desdemona in front of Lodovico, let’s her go then leaves in a jealous anger. Lodovico is surprised.

Othello talks to Desdemona with disdain and Desdemona unhappily responds back.

Othello I’m glad to see you mad

Desdemona Why, sweet Othello!

Othello: [Striking her] Devil!

Desdemona: I have not deserved this. (Shakespeare IV.i.266-269). 

This quote shows that Othello demonstrates strong feelings of jealousy and unthinkingly strikes Desdemona in front of someone important. His jealousy is causing him to be negative and destructive. It’s as if this is his first encounter with the ugly feeling. It confuses him, making him unsure what to do.

Othello confronts Emilia about Desdemona’s false infidelity, which Emilia immediately dismisses as false. Othello exclaims to Emilia in which Emilia snaps back. “She was false as water/ Thou art rash as fire to say/ That she was false. O, she was heavenly true!” (Shakespeare V.ii. 64-66). In this quote Othello accuses Desdemona of being a liar and a whore, which leads Emilia to exclaim that he has lost his mind to accuse her of cheating when she is always true to him. Othello acts on what he thinks is true, but it is never proven that Desdemona is cheating on him. In fact, it’s the opposite, she hopelessly devoted to Othello, despite his negativity.

To conclude Othello’s jealousy guides him to commit irrational things that people dismisses him of losing his mind. This happens through out the play. These quotes lead to what people think of him, how he changes and how he’s wrong. He does not know he’s false until the end.

After discovering that sweet Desdemona was being honest the entire time and Iago is liar, Othello stabs Iago then stabs himself right after, dying near his dead wife. Othello was so overwhelmed with jealousy that he lost his deception of reality and killed himself and Desdemona. His jealousy blinds him in darkness and sin. His jealousy leads him to believe Iago’s lies, despite that there is not much evidence. Othello acknowledges his error regarding to killing Desdemona and saying she was unfaithful. He realizes that he was wrong. Othello tells Lodovico:

Nor set down aught in malice. Then you must speak

Of one that love not wisely, but too well;

Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought,

Perplexed in the extreme; of one whose hand,

Like the base Judean, threw a pearl away (Shakespeare V. ii. 403-407).

Othello tells Lodovico to describe him as how he actually is. To mention that he is not easily jealous but believes Iago’s tricks and manipulation. To describe Othello as a fool who disposes something so precious, like a pearl. Othello, himself, acknowledges that he is foolish and his jealousy blinds, taking him into the darkness and throwing away his true love.

People consider Othello as one of the greatest Tragedies by Shakespeare because there are many reasons that led to his demise, that it is difficult to choose one and because Iago’s motives are a mystery. Othello represents tragedy because he ends in sadness, partly due to his own fault for believing in Iago’s lies.