9/19/2023 0 Comments Othello quotes jealousyIago, for example, admits that he’s prone to negative thoughts about those he envies: There’s no doubt that jealousy is a destructive emotion, but it effects different characters in different ways. Desdemona later agrees with this assessment of Othello, proudly stating “ My noble Moor is true of mind and made of no such baseness as jealous creatures are” Ultimately, if she enjoys herself when they’re in company and is the centre of attention, that’s something that will make him proud of being her man “ for she had eyes and chose me“. Where virtue is, these are more virtuous “ Is free of speech, sings, plays and dances well To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company, He sees Desdemona’s free spirited attitude as something to be proud of, not something that needs to be toned down: Othello is amused at Iago warning him about the green-eyed monster jealousy, replying disbelievingly “ think’st thou I’d make a life of jealousy?”. It’s interesting that both Othello and Desdemona see jealousy as a base emotion that is beneath them. I guess there are sadly still women in some parts of the world who get stoned to death for committing adultery, so we needn’t necessarily view it as an attitude from another era! Othello, on learning the truth, sees the jealous web of lies he was duped into believing as a trap: “Demand that demi-devil why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body?” but he never really takes responsibility for his actions, seeing the murder of Desdemona as an unfortunate but necessary punishment for her supposed betrayal of their marriage vows. Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,īurn like the mines of Sulphur. “The Moor already changes with my poison:ĭangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons. It is Iago who describes jealousy as a poison that consumes you, eating away at you and filling you with a passionate desire for revenge:Īnd delights in the misery that Othello’s feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy and rejection will create: Various metaphors are used to capture the essence of jealousy – it is described as a poison, a monster, a provoker of madness and insomnia and a trap. His wife Emilia later scoffs at his willingness to believe these rumours remarking “ some such squire he was that turned your wit the seamy side out and made you to suspect me with the Moor“. It doesn’t seem to matter whether the supposed source of a person’s jealous thoughts is real or fictional: Iago has every reason to be jealous of Cassio’s promotion, but it seems there is no logic to his sexual jealousy (he comments of Othello “ it is thought that twixt my sheets he has done my office” & “ I fear Cassio with my night cap too“). You’ll notice I’ve used the word ‘suspicion’ a lot – that’s because 90% of the time, these characters have nothing to be jealous of and the wrongs they perceive exist only in their heads! Othello is mainly concerned with sexual jealousy, which emerges when Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful and is actively pursuing a sexual relationship with one “ of her own clime, complexion and degree” – Cassio! However, we also witness Roderigo‘s jealousy & envy of Othello’s relationship with Desdemona Iago‘s professional jealousy of Cassio his jealousy of Desdemona & Othello’s happy marriage and suspicions that his wife Emilia has been unfaithful and Bianca‘s jealousy provoked by Cassio’s neglect and her suspicion that he is secretly wooing another woman. So a jealous person wants to keep what’s theirs and to have what’s yours, but you’d better keep your hands off their stuff or they will lash out at you like a flaming minister of hell! It used to be distinct from ‘envy’ (desiring what someone else has), but now the two meanings are inter-changeable. Jealousy refers to the fear & anxiety we experience when we feel that something or someone we value risks being taken away from us. I love that if you type ‘ jealousy” into wikipedia, it says “ Green-Eyed Monster re-directs here“! This is the phrase Shakespeare used – and quite possibly coined – in Othello, to describe the destructive nature of jealousy.
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