It is pretty evident that the most obvious theme in Shakespeare’s play, Othello, is jealousy and revenge. Iago is the key character to almost every event that happens throughout the play. Othello has passed him over for a promotion. Instead of choosing his thought to be ‘right hand man’ Othello chose an outsider, Cassio for the second in command job. This left Iago upset with Othello and extremely jealous of Cassio. Iago is well regarded on the battle field and younger, less experienced bloke comes in and takes the promotion he had thought he has in the bag. He also thinks Othello might also have slept with his wife, which is evident in a quote from Iago in Act 1 Scene 3, when he says, "I hate the Moor, and 'tis thought abroad that 'twixt
Revenge is the main theme in the play Othello by William Shakespeare and it is portrayed from the character Iago. Through Iago’s soliloquies he reveals his horrible doings. Iago wants to get revenge on Othello and his loved one Desdemona. The reason why he wants to get revenge at Othello is because he promotes Cassio to Lieutenant. Iago takes advantage of his reputation “Honesty Iago” to manipulate other characters in the play to get revenge from Othello. Iago is aware that he can easily manipulate the people around him to get revenge from Othello that he does not stop and think about the harm he is causing. Iago is a brilliant character that he successfully manipulates Cassio, Desdemona, Roderigo and his own wife Emilia to fulfill his
Shakespeare’s use of the word monster in Othello the word “monster”may be a key to understanding the play. The etymology of ‘monster’ can be traced to mid 12th century France where connotations of the word included, “ to be skilled,” “genius,” and “mastermind”. By mid 13th century the connotation of the word in France changed to be a disfigured person.In contrast in classical Latin, the meaning of monster was very close to it 21st century meaning in English, i.e., grotesque and hideous. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as ‘atrocity’, accompanied by acts of wicked things. According to the Oxford English Dictionary a monster is a mythical creature which is part human, or combines element of two or more animal forms. It is usually of a giant size and ferocious appearance. Today a monster is an imaginary creature that is large, ugly and frightening. This definition has been in use since the 1400s. In Othello, the word monster is related to the latin definition. The word “monster” or “monstrous” is used to describe or to be related to the tenets of jealousy because throughout the play jealousy is a recurring factor to the theme of love and hate in Othello.
William Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice is a play of great manipulation and jealousy. Iago is the antagonist character of the play Othello. Iago becomes irate and filled with jealousy when Othello names Michael Cassio as his lieutenant, because Iago believed he should have been the one promoted not Michael Cassio. By manipulating everyone around him, Iago portrays himself as an honest noble man whom can be trusted. Iago being known for the honest man he earns everyone’s trust and therefore learns their weakness for his ultimate plan of destruction. Iago’s greatest skill is disguising his manipulative schemes of destroying and betraying the ones around him with what he leads people to believe as honesty. Iago uses their
It is said that those who seek revenge essentially dig two graves; one for their opposer and one consequently for themselves. The tragic play by William Shakespeare; Othello illustrates how far jealousy can be fueled and the measures taken to act upon it. Shakespeare constantly uses vengeance as a theme throughout the tragedy via his antagonist; Iago. " Honest Iago" is Othello's ensign (plays a role in the military) and begins his plot against Othello because he feels robbed of his 'rightful' position as lieutenant which is given to Michael Cassio instead. This feeling of betrayal from a friend causes Iago to become bitter and upset which begins his quest for Othello's destruction as "there's no remedy"(11).
In the tragedy Othello, the emotion of jealousy is portrayed through most of the characters and their actions. Throughout the play you can notice that some of the characters use and manipulate the feeling of jealousy towards the other characters, and you begin to see the consequences and effects this has on them. Even though this emotion influences some of the characters’ emotions and overall situations more than others, it affects them all one way or another. Jealousy is encountered in many parts of the play especially the main scenes where you really see it alter the characters state of minds. For instance when Iago says "O, beware, my lord of jealousy/ It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on."(III.iii.170-171) to Othello, he was trying to force jealousy into Othello's mind without Othello realizing it himself, and once Iago weaved nothing but jealousy and suspicion into Othello’s head it begins to have an almost domino effect on everyone else. However throughout the tragedy, you see jealousy grab hold
The theme of “Othello” ,William Shakespeare, is that if jealousy powers hate, and people get hurt. Iago tries to get revenge on Cassio for passing him and getting the promotion and Othello for rebuffing his promotion and giving it to Cassio. According to the text,”Now his revenge against Cassio was sealed. But he had more poisoned words for Othello. ”(Othello retelling 3)
In the play, Othello, jealousy and envy are prominent themes from the beginning to the end. As the play starts to unwind, you can see jealousy is the major cause of all the drama in the play. Jealousy or envy is a feeling of discontented or resentful longing by someone else’s possessions , qualities or luck. Iago becomes engulfed by jealousy and it causes him to corrupt Othello. They are two men that cause similar crimes but we sympathize for Othello and hate Iago because they have different attitudes towards their crime.
In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, Iago demonstrates a mastery of manipulation over people who had previously trusted and confided in him. His sudden turn from Othello’s loyal ensign to rage-filled villain seems indicative of a man who can no longer accept his position in life. Iago’s plotting of Othello’s demise starts as idle talk of a disgruntled 28 year-old career military man passed over for promotion. Iago believes that such a promotion may never come after Othello rejects his candidacy and makes it clear that he did not believe him suitable. He sees Othello is only concerned with personal and political gain with his choice of Cassio as lieutenant. When Iago teams with love-scorned and desperate Roderigo, he begins
Kellie McCarthy Professor Barber LITR205 6 April 2015 Tragic Flaw William Penn once said, "The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves." Shakespeare's play Othello, is a prime example of how jealously can ruin a person or peoples lives. The most prominent theme in the play is jealousy and is explored in great detail through the main characters Othello and Iago's personalities and actions. The titular character in the play, Othello, is possibly the greatest example of the damage caused by jealousy in a work of English literature.
Jealousy is a driving motive in Othello, it is an emotion that causes brawls throughout the novel. In William Shakespeare’s introduction of Othello, he emphasizes Roderigo’s love for Desdemona and how far he is willing to go for her love, to this statement, Iago’s reacts and proclaims the hatred he feels towards Othello. Iago claims that the major reason for the root of his hatred is the fact that Othello promoted Michael Cassio, a man with no prior experience in war as lieutenant, while Iago has been a loyal servant in battle and contains recommendation of the three great ones, he is deprived of this privilege. Shakespeare uses this scene to evoke a feeling of resentment in the reader and makes them realize that jealousy is a powerful emotion that drives many to commit irrational decisions, just like it drove Iago to plot revenge against Othello for his misdeed.
Almost all people, at some point in their lives, have experienced jealousy. But almost all people are given an equal opportunity to overcome this most unbecoming quality. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, however, this fatal flaw developed by the play’s main protagonist, Othello, is not easily subdued. Instead, Iago, the catalyst for Othello’s jealousy, manipulates him into believing that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with his lieutenant, Cassio, transforming Othello from respected general to reviled outsider. Iago achieves this desired effect by fabricating a web of illusions that not only mislead the Moor, but turn him against those whom he loves the most.
He is jealous of Cassio and angry with Othello because he was not chosen as lieutenant of Cyprus, and Cassio was. Iago wants everyone to feel as bad as he does so he forces jealousy into other characters. Iago wants everyone to become jealous, so he betrays and manipulates the other characters. Othello starts
At all points of one’s life, one has desires; what separates and defines a person is determined by how that person goes about dealing with those desires. Some believe in working honestly towards his or her aspirations and others in seizing it at any cost. Iago, the antagonist of the play Othello is one of those people who would do anything in order to get what he wishes. Because Othello names Cassio lieutenant instead of him, he begins to device a plan in vengeance to bring Othello and Cassio down, which ends up tragic for all of the major characters. Iago’s obsessive need for revenge stems from jealousy and ambition, and because he is a master manipulator, the plan goes extremely smooth for the majority of the play.
Jealousy is a powerful drug. When someone is jealous, one can only imagine how far someone would go because of it. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, there were several characters that went through different ways of processing their jealousy. Iago’s jealousy provokes his idea to get back at the people he felt was not deserving enough of the things they had or their happiness. His plans succeeds but by the end, no one wins. Iago’s jealousy forms at the beginning of the play which causes Othello’s jealousy towards the end and because of it, it results in people hurt mentally and physically.
Othello is used by both Shakespeare and Geoffrey sax to explore the human conditions of a jealousy, corruption and pride as well as the way women were treated in a patriarchal society in their respective context. Unlike shakespeare's traditional usage of play and the tragedy genre to convey the story of othello in an elizabethan era england, sax utiles the post-modern medium of film to portray othello in the modern era set in London during civil unrest. The qualities of a woman to be subservient, loyal and obedient were desired during the Elizabethan era and this was exploited by Shakespeare. Women during the 17th century were regarded as possessions and were expected to be obedient and seen as a commodity.