Jasmin Aguilar
Period 5
1-19-15
The Horrendous Emotion that is Jealousy Jealousy is such a low heartfelt emotion that can ruin ones relationship when you believe everything you hear. In the story Othello by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare makes it clear that jealousy is a powerful emotion that can lead you to do monstrous things by believing everything you hear. Othello becomes so self-absorbed by jealousy that communication fails and everything else just goes downhill from there with the help of Iago’s schemes that are also caused by jealousy. Shakespeare uses various literary elements like soliloquies, external conflicts, and internal conflicts. He uses them to articulate the fact that believing everything you hear may cause you to become jealous and jealousy is such a horrendous emotion. Shakespeare uses external conflict and a soliloquy to give insight on Iagos’s feelings towards Othello. Othello trusts Iago and he believes that Iago is an honest man. Iago however, feels differently about Othello, he hates him because he believes the rumors he’s been told. He heard about Othello and Emilia’s; Iago’s wives supposedly “hook up” and that only added fuel to Iago’s fire. When Othello promotes Cassio to lieutenant Iago becomes even more jealous and it is the last straw for him to take action and get his revenge. “One Michael Cassio… That never set a squadron in the field, / Nor the division of the battle knows/… But he, sir, hadth’ election:/ And, I of whom his eyes had seen the proof/ At Rhodes, at Cyprus and other grounds/… (Act I, Scene I, lines 18-31) Iago here is jealous because he was expecting Othello to give him the promotion instead of Cassio. He wasn’t expecting Othello to give it to Cassio. He feels that he deserves it because Othello has seen how helpful Iago is out in the field. He believes that Cassio is no good in the field. This is Iago’s last straw, Othello promoting Cassio is all it takes for Iago to take action and get his revenge. “I hate the Moor,/ And its thought abroad that’ twixt my sheets/ H’as done my office. I know not if’t be true,/ But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,/ will do, as if for surely,/… After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear/ That he is to familiar with his wife. / He hath a person and a smooth dispose/ To be suspected-framed to make women false./… (Act I, Scene iii, lines 378-396) In the soliloquy Iago confesses his hate for Othello and the reason behind it, which is, he believes that he slept with his wife. He also reveals his plan, he doesn’t know for sure that Othello slept with his wife, but he’ll go through with his plan anyway. He’ll badmouth Desdemona; Othello’s wife and make rumors about her that’ll question her loyalty with Othello. Iago is acting on impulse; he heard some rumors and is seeking revenge on something that might not even be true. Iago is only doing this because he believes everything he hears and he’s jealous of Othello. Shakespeare uses external conflict to show that Iago secretly hates Othello, and he uses a soliloquy to give insight on Iago’s feelings to show his other side and to reveal his thoughts. Shakespeare also uses internal conflict to prove his point which is, believing everything you hear may cause you to become jealous and jealousy can lead you to do monstrous things. Othello’s hurt after hearing about Desdemona’s “betrayal” with Cassio. He lets jealousy get in the way of his relationship with Desdemona by believing everything he hears. He’s told that Desdemona gave the handkerchief that Othello had given to her to Cassio. Othello’s pride and reputation are important to him, so once his jealousy is aroused by seeing that same handkerchief in Cassio’s current lovers hand there’s no going back. “By heaven, that should be my handkerchief!” (Act IV, Scene I, line 157) “How shall I murder him, Iago?” (Act IV, Scene I, line 168) “Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned/ Tonight; for she shall not live.” (Act IV, Scene I, lines 179-180)