Othello Speech on Jealousy

Do you think that justice and revenge are the most important themes in Othello? Is there another underlying theme that you consider even more important?I argue that justice and revenge are not the dominate over arching themes in Othello. I believe jealousy is the most important theme. Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello focuses on the downfall of military General Othello whose happiness at his marriage to Desdemona is quickly consumed by jealousy. The love of Othello and Desdemona are tragically torn apart by the intrigue of Iago who is also acting out of jealousy. The jealousy consumes Othello and Iago’s own lives and destroys the lives of those around them. Jealousy is the emotive force that generates a cause and effect chain that reveals the protagonist Iago’s true base nature and triggers the main character Othello’s transformation from a nobleman to a savage.

Othello is driven to murder his beloved wife Desdemona because of the seeds of jealousy planted by Iago.Othello represents how jealousy, the prospect of loss, is a corrupting and destructive emotion. It is not difficult for Iago to trigger Othello’s jealousy and ultimately his demise. His love for Desdemona and his insecurities about attracting and keeping a desirable woman, especially because he is older and black, Othello fears losing her to a younger white man, which leaves him open to the insinuations of Iago and the arousal of JealousyIn Othello Shakespeare presents us with the tragic spectacle of a man who, in jealous rage, murders the one he loves most in all the world, Desdemona. We will be able to best realize the tragic effect of jealousy if we consider first the nature of the relation between Othello and Desdemona. The marriage between Othello and Desdemona is a ’marriage of true minds’, a true love based on a mutual awareness and a true appreciation of each other’s worth, a love that has in it none of the element of sensual lust.

The love of Othello and Desdemona transcends the physical barriers of colour, ethnicity and age. But this pure love is destroyed as soon as jealousy enters into the mind of Othello.It is Iago who plants the seeds of suspicion and jealousy. In Act III: Scene 3, after a quarrel with Rodrigo, Cassio speaks to Desdemona and asks her to intercede on his behalf. Desdemona willingly agrees, knowing that Cassio is an old friend of Othello's.

She promises to speak of him with her husband repeatedly until the quarrel is patched up and Cassio is recalled.While Desdemona and Cassio are speaking, Othello and Iago enter. Cassio, who is embarrassed by the previous nights antics, embraces Desdemona and quickly departs. Iago seizes the opportunity to make a malicious comment and plants the seeds of jealousy.

He remarks "Ha, I like not that." The insinuation is not lost on Othello and the seeds are planted. Iago further insinuates that Cassio was not just leaving, but that he "steal[s]away so guilty-like" (39). Iago's words are filled with strong innuendo, he feigns shock at what he sees, while intentionally planting jealousy into Othello's subconscious.Desdemona greets her husband and, without guilt, introduces Cassio's name into their conversation.

Here, fate plays a major role in this tragedy; not even Iago wholly arranged this swift, coincidental confrontation of Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio, and certainly the pathos of Desdemona's position here is largely due to no other factor than fate. Desdemona speaks of Cassio, and to please her Othello agrees to see him, but he is distracted by his private thoughts on the scene just witnessed.As Desdemona leaves, Othello chides himself for being irritated by his wife. Lovingly he sighs, "Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, / But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, / Chaos is come again" (90–92).

A conversation follows between Othello and Iago, in which Iago continues to imply that he knows something that he refuses to divulge. Iago urges Othello to recall that Brabantio foreshadowed Desdemona supposed betrayal in act 1 scene 3 saying “Look to her, Moor, if though hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee." By this he meant she deceived her own father by marrying Othello and could well deceive Othello.

Left alone Othello contemplates his situation. Othello denies that he would give himself over to jealousy but in his denial, he shows himself most vulnerable. He is consumed with doubt and suspicion. Othello voices his old fears that Brabantio was right, that it was unnatural for Desdemona to love him, that he was too horrible to be loved, and that it could not last. Is he being tricked by Desdemona? Is she already looking at other men? His fears fixed on wiping her out of his heart.

Jealousy is unhinging Othello’s peace of mind. His speech is fevered, sweeping and frantic. He believes that his wife has been unfaithful to him. Othello turns on Iago with savage intensity and demands to see the proof of Desdemona's infidelity.

Cornered, Iago produces the dream story: Cassio spoke in his sleep, embraced him, called him Desdemona, and cursed the Moor. Iago tells Othello that he has seen Cassio wipe his brow with a handkerchief embroidered with strawberries. Othello recognizes the handkerchief as the one he gave Desdemona.His rage is further fuelled when in Act IV: Scene 1, Othello sees his wife's handkerchief in the hands of Cassio's mistress Bianca. Othello has his "ocular proof.

" He is now convinced of Desdemona's infidelity and knows he must kill both Cassio and Desdemona that very night. Othello storms "How shall I murder him, Iago?" He goes on to curse and weep over Desdemona "for she shall not live; no, my heart is turned to stone . . . " (178–179).

Jealousy rages and Othello dismisses love and calls for vengeance. Certainty has freed his mind from doubt and confusion. Now he swears action, and Iago swears to help him. Othello wants Cassio dead, Iago agrees to do it, and then Othello wonders how to kill Desdemona.Jealous passion has gained control over Othello and destroyed his noble character turning him into the black beast he had been unjustly accused of being at the beginning of the play.

The decline in the morals and spiritual stature of Othello goes hand in hand with the destruction of his love for and faith in Desdemona. It is Iago’s jealousy that causes him to plot the destruction of Othello. Iago alludes to Othello that his wife, Desdemona, has been unfaithful with Cassio. Iago initially intends to hurt Othello and make him regret appointing Cassio as his lieutenant; instead of him.

Iago’s jealousy reveals his true character, one of “vicious[ness]”. Iago manipulates and feeds Othello’s jealousy by raising the spectre of adultery. Jealousy takes over Othello, his reason lost, a new Othello emerges, one “utterly possessed, calling out for blood and vengeance”. While the characters believe Iago has a reputation of being truthful, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to portray this in act 3 scene 3 “I think thou dost; and for I thou 'rt full of love and honesty...

" even though at the time Othello says this Iago was scheming against him. Describes Iago as “perhaps one of the most villainous characters in all literature”. Iago’s motivation while revengeful was driven by jealousy.The theme of jealousy is prominent throughout the play.

It motivates the characters’ actions. This play illustrates the power of jealousy, how it plays on fears, insecurities, how it disturbs the mind, eats at the heart, destroying compassion, love and rational thought and ultimately destroying lives. The dramatic irony within the play is that the jealous outrages are expressed over perceptions, innuendo, offenses that did not happen. Perhaps certain characters could rationalize their actions as acts of justice and revenge but if not spurred by jealousy they would not have carried out those actions and Othello and Desdemona would have lived happily ever after. Instead Desdemona is dead and as Othello lays dying from his own hand he cries of how he “lov’d not wisely but too well”.