Essay - Jealousy in Othello Othello, by William Shakespeare, is a Play...

Jealousy in Othello

*****, by William Shakespeare, is a play demonstrating that we all have strengths and weaknesses and that while the best of us will focus on people's *****, ***** worst ***** us ***** not only not weaknesses but use them in destructive ways. Throughout the *****, the weakness of jealousy, directly or indirectly, brings the destruction and downf***** of all the maj***** characters, including ***** only Othello and his bride Desdemona, but Iago, his wife Emilia, Roderigo and Cassio.

Othello is particularly vulnerable because, being a Moor, he is somewhat an outsider (Weller, PAGE). He is accepted as a leader in society and ***** a great military man, ***** he is aware of his differences. He used t*****m to charm those around him, wooing and winning the beautiful Desdemona and then defending her marriage to others, but the villain of the play, Iago, knows ***** it can be easy to cast doubt on an outsider, ***** he uses Othello's differences ***** his own perverted and personal advantage.

While the name of the play is O*****llo, any d*****cussion of jealousy in the play must start w*****h Iago, because he is the one who sees the opportunities to foment jealous ***** the o*****r characters. His motivation seems ***** be jealousy as well although it's difficult to know exactly why Iago is jealous ***** Othello.

First he claims ***** be angry because Ot*****llo passed him over for a promotion (I.i, 7-32). In the second scene he goes fur*****r, suggesting that Othello slept with ***** wife Emilia, Desdemona's maid. He says,

It is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets / ***** has done my office" (I.iii.369-370). By "abroad" he means it is widely known, and by "office" he means having sex ***** Emilia (Weller, *****). However, ***** later admits that he knows it isn't true, but mentions it again *****, making viewers think ***** maybe he does believe it. He says ***** wants to sleep with Desdemona ***** get even ***** ***** "wife ***** wife" (II.i.286) and is one reason he decides to make ***** ***** (Weller, PAGE).

Perhaps what Iago ***** re*****y jealous of, however, is Othello's power. Having been passed over for a *****, he imagines Othello sleeping with his wife, a loss of power, and then ***** sleeping with Desdemona, a restor*****tion ***** power, and seems to enjoy the r*****ge he vents on o*****rs. All of his intrigues give him ***** power over ot*****rs.

Iago is at his most *****ipulative as he curries Othello's trust. In the second act, Iago states it clearly, bragging that he will "Make the Moor thank me, love me ***** reward me. / For making him egregiously an *****s" (2.1, 308-309). Iago is all too successful.

When Othello dem*****ds "ocular proof" (evidence he can see ***** his own eyes) of Desdemona's infidelity, ***** claims ***** Cassio ***** "wiped his beard (III.iii.444) with the handkerchief Othello gave her. Othello *****s the planted ***** ***** Desdemona's supposed infidelity, and kills her in a ***** rage, and