Healthy relationships involve honesty, trust, and commitment. Whether the relationship is with a love one or a friend, it takes all three components in order for it to work. Jealously is one factor that causes relationships to turn sour. Many people search for definitive answers as to why people cause mental or physical harm to others. And little to behold that a very large percentage might say that envy is in the top ranking. So what causes people to do evil things? Is it revenge? Is it bad childhood experience? Is it to have power? Is it something that is hidden, but is difficult to find the reason? Or would it be just plain ole jealousy? In the play Othello, written by William Shakespeare, is a perfect example of the act of jealously and how it ruined relationships among friends and lovers. Iago, the main perpetrator in Othello, jealous behavior destroyed trust and integrity that brought forth the separation as well as the reasons for the multiple counts of murder. So therefore, demonstrated in Othello, envy of love and friendship is the major factor that contributes to the perpetrators evil and deviant behavior.
Othello, is a classic and well noted example on how deception is used as a part of jealously and the negative impact it creates on the relationship between acquaintances and loved ones. Several scenes validated that dishonesty destroyed relationships. The story line featured Othello, a black general whom took a liking and secretly married his mentors daughter, Desdomona who so happen to be white. This was the first act of deception and jealously displayed. Desdomona, the daughter of Senator Brabanzio, nor Othello did not disclose their marriage to her father, because they both knew that he would not approved because Othello was black. However, because Iago was jealous of Othellos position as general in which hed longed for, he persuaded Roderigo whom was madly in love with Desdomona to oust the marriage. Iago stated to Roderigo, Call up her father, rouse him. Make after him, Poison his delight, Proclaim him in the streets. Incense her kinsmen. And, though he in a fertile climate dwell. Plague him with flies. Through that his job by joy. Yet through such changes of vexation ont. As it may lose some color (Pg. 11). Iagos intention was to arouse the father and promote shame as well as give Roderigo false hopes of him becoming the next man in line for Desdomona hand in marriage.
Another act of deception out of jealously conducted by Iago put the icing on the cake for the death of Desdomona. In this scene hed not only deceived his wife, Emilia to give him Desdemonas precious handkerchief that was given to her by Othello, but hed also lied to Othello about the who had it in their possession in order to destroy another person, Cassio. Iago also envied Cassio because of his rank as well as friendship and loyalty to both Othello and Desdomona. He knew that this act would send Othello into a wild frenzy. Iago stated silently to himself, I will in Cassios lodging loose the napkin. And let him find it. Trifles light as air. Are to the jealous confirmations strong. As proofs of holy writ. This may do something. The Moor already changes with my poison. Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons. Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, but with a little act upon the blood Burn like the mines of sulfur (Pg. 141). Shakespeare depiction of Iago was that of an evil person. Iagos bad behavior and deceitful lies was acts of deception in which he continued throughout the duration of the play that ultimately lead to one partner feeling betrayed and the other partner feeling empty and guilty.
In Othello, Shakespeare painted a vivid picture of jealous rages amongst the characters. Ranging from Iago, who was the main the person responsible for committing deceitful acts out of jealousy. Leading to Othello, who was jealous of Cassio because he was persuaded to believe that his wife was secretly having an affair with Cassio. However, some critics also agreed that the reasoning for all the accounts of evil doings was based upon jealousy. Critic, D.R. Godfrey examined the portrayal of jealousy in Othello, determining that it is the cause of evil in the play. The critic exposes the jealousy presented by several characters: Othello, Roderigo, Bianca, and Iago. He compares their irrational behavior of characters of other plays and asserts that each displays a form of sexual jealousy. Iago, however, exhibits an all-encompassing jealousy directed not only against sexual love but also against love itself (Napierkowski, 1998). Another critic by the name of Henry Warnken also examines the relationship between Iago and Othello, but determining that while Iago's evil corrupts Othello, the potential for evil already lurked within the MoorIago merely frees his capacity for evil (Napierkowski, 1998). Godfrey and Warnken were two critics who gave great reviews on the way in which Shakespeare used the act of jealously as the major cause. Linda Cygan reported that William Shakespeares works can be interpreted in many ways. His writings can be picked apart line by line, by theme, or by the characters he invented. There is always some matter within his plays that can be analyzed or examined. In fact, one critic did so by indicating that one of Shakespeares greatest failings in Othello, that he insinuates that Othello is a great man, and his love for Desdemona is real, but the reader never really gets deeply involved in the proof of these allegations (Miller, 2007). So as evident, with any play or movie there will be critics who will evaluate the theme and plot. However, many of the critics who examined Othello considered jealously as the main reason for the unhealthy relationships of lovers and friends. To give proof of the affects jealousy has on relationships; Hollywood transcended the 15th Century stage play into a modern day movie, O, that captured jealously in the same fashion.
Even though Hollywood put a different spin on the movie, the main topic was envy. This rendition, the character of Othello was named Odin Jackson who came from a deprived background and placed in an all white setting and also fell in love with a white young lady much like Othello. The character of Iago was imitated by Hugo in which was jealous that Odin earned his respect from everyone because of his basketball skills, pleasant behavior, but more so because Odin gain the love and admiration of the Hugos father who was also their basketball coach. Comparable to Othello, the same lies, distrust, and deception occurred which also lead to multiple deaths. Othello and O confirmed that jealousy could manifest as betrayal, anger, terror, harm, concern, grief, suspicion, depression, seclusion, envy, feeling powerless, and feeling inadequate.
As the overview of Othello and O has shown, healthy relationships can easily turn into tragedy should jealousy occur. Deception and lies are often used when jealously come to mind. One of William Shakespeares famous jealousy testimonial made in Othello states, But jealous souls will not be answered so; They are not ever jealous for the cause, But jealous for they're jealous. 'Tis a monster Begot upon itself, born on itself.
Reference:
"Othello: Jealousy." Shakespeare for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1998. eNotes.com. January 2006. 18 April 2008.
"Othello: Iago." Shakespeare for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1998. eNotes.com. January 2006. 18 April 2008.
Cygan, L. (n.d.) Sexist Themes in Othello, Taming of the Shrew, and The Tempest. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from, http://lilt.ilstu.edu/rlbroad/teaching/studentpubs/OneWishEnglish/cygan.pdf
Miller, A.T. (2007). The Neo-Modernization of Othello. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from, http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1204005/printit/1
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