Jealousy and Revenge as Motivation in Othello
Othello is a tragic play of jealousy, racism and struggle for power. These run rampant throughout the play affecting the main characters psyche, turning them into suspicious, possessive and vengeful individuals. It consumes their thoughts and gathers momentum like a wave in the ocean climaxing into a maelstrom of falsehoods and murder. Looking further into what motivates these actions by our characters we will see their fears and insecurities.
When Othello chooses Cassio for lieutenant over Iago, this triggers evil feelings of jealousy and revenge in Iago who in turn manipulates Othellos self-doubt regarding his marriage to the beautiful Desdemona. Iagos insinuations that Cassio and Desdemona are sleeping together lights a keg of dynamite inside Othello.
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.(Shakespeare, 2005, 5.2)
Othellos prideful nature is the main reason for his downfall. He cannot bring himself to seek the truth and question Desdemona because he subconsciously he fears she thinks his age or the color of his skin is the reason she seeks the fair Cassio. Shakespeare uses various symbol of blackness to express negative and racist attitudes. He does this to meet the expectations of the Elizabethan audience, who held certain misconceptions about black people.(123HelpMe.com 2000-2011.) The true love they have bears no meaning as the jealousy gains momentum festering in Othellos mind. He displays his dramatic flaw that sinks him deeper and deeper into a cloud of suspicions before it consumes him completely eventually leading him to kill not only the love of his life but also himself.
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