Jealousy is used several times throughout “Othello” as a theme for different characters and is used each time for different reasons. Jealousy is apparent in characters such as Iago, Roderigo, and Othello. Each instant of jealousy provides readers and viewers a better understanding of the character’s feelings and future motives. The message within each character’s reason for jealousy also gives a better understanding of why Shakespeare chose to set each character on their chosen path.
Jealousy can be seen as early as the very beginning of the play. Iago explains to Roderigo that he has been passed over for a promotion and instead it was given to Cassio. Iago explains to Roderigo, “And what was he? Forsooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, A fellow almost damn’d in a fair wife; That never set a squadron in the field,…And I–God bless the mark!–his Moorship’s ancient.” This demonstrates Iago’s jealousy of Roderigo’s promotion and the fact that he himself remains the “Moor’s ancient”. Shakespeare wants to demonstrate Iago’s jealousy and his evil nature right from the beginning of the play. Iago is telling all of this to Roderigo so that he can also ignite feelings of jealousy within Roderigo. At this point we also see Roderigo’s jealousy of Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, whom he is still in love with. Two instances of jealousy have been revealed already in the play by Shakespeare which sets up the path for more, deeper jealousy throughout the play.
Iago again reveals his jealously, this time of Othello, because he suspects that Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia. Iago explains, “For that I do suspect the lusty Moor hath leap’d into my seat; the thought whereof doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards; And nothing can or shall content my soul till I am even’d with him, wife for wife.” It is this jealousy that sets his plan for revenge into motion. During this same speech, he explains that he will take his revenge by putting Othello into a jealousy so deep that even reasonable judgment could not cure. Shakespeare makes it apparent at this point that Iago’s jealousy guides his thinking and actions throughout the remainder of the play.
It becomes evident throughout the play that Othello is giving in to the seeds of jealousy planted by Iago. However, Iago actually warns Othello about jealousy, but does so in an attempt to make Othello suffer more with battling his denial that he is a jealous person. Iago tells Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger.” Iago is saying this so that Othello will deny any feelings of jealousy that he might have or have in the future. Othello, even after denying his jealousy, will continue to wrestle with himself in this concept concluding with the murder of Desdemona.
A clear sign of Othello’s jealousy is when he confronts Desdemona about the missing handkerchief. Just before the confrontation, Desdemona assures Emilia that Othello will understand and not think anything foul of the missing handkerchief. Desdemona says to Emilia, “but my noble Moor is true of mind and made of no such baseness as jealous creatures are, it were enough to put him to ill thinking.” When Othello enters he contradicts Desdemona’s previous statements. Othello repeatedly questions her about the handkerchief and gets upset and storms out when she cannot provide it when he asks for it. This shows the beginning of jealousy taking hold of Othello and his rational thinking. Shakespeare wants to show the readers and viewers that Othello is going against not only what Desdemona has said, but what he has also said about himself. Desdemona and Othello both deny any jealousy, but it is beginning to show that they are both incorrect.
Othello becomes so overwhelmed with jealousy throughout the play that by the end he has decided there is no other alternative except to kill Desdemona for what he believes she has done to him. He is jealous of the way she has apparently given away the handkerchief and her cheating with Cassio. This jealousy builds to the point where he convinces himself that it is his duty to kill Desdemona and see to it that Cassio is also killed. At this point, all of Othello’s reasonable judgments are clouded by his complete jealousy and anger. Iago will be glad when Cassio is killed because he has been jealous of him from the beginning of the play. Shakespeare is showing that at this moment of the play, everything that is happing is being done because of jealousy that has accumulated since the first scene.
At the end of the play, jealousy is mentioned by Othello one last time before he kills himself. Othello says, “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 perplex’d in the extreme.” Even as Othello is killing himself he continues to say that he is not one that can become easily jealous. This is an interesting statement because it confirms what Desdemona said earlier about all such humours being drawn from him. However, it is obvious that after following Othello’s actions throughout the play, he was in fact made to be jealous almost too easily by Iago. When Othello says he was perplex’d this is a very true statement. Iago tormented him and confused him all throughout the play. His jealousy undoubtedly made him as confused as he was by the end of the play. Othello’s jealousy caused the murder of Desdemona and his own suicide.
The use of jealousy by Shakespeare as a central theme for his play was crucial to show the motives of each character. Without the element of jealousy, each character would have less of a desire to carry out the actions that occurred during the play. Shakespeare also demonstrates how deep of an impact jealousy can have on individuals. It torments and confuses Othello for a majority of the play. This struggle with himself can be found throughout every individual in today’s society. Jealousy is a feeling that all humans will feel at some point in their life. The play “Othello” concretely demonstrates how jealousy can overpower and control one’s life.
