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Camila Avalos

Ms. Pena

ERWC/per.6

12 December 2021

Jealousy: Two Sides of the Same Coin

In an intense play of manipulation, tragedy, and jealousy, Shakespeare graciously depicts

the lengths of human jealousy. From Iago and Roderigo’s plotting of sabotage, to Othello’s

blinding rage, Othello graphically portrays two sides of the same coin: jealousy as a result of

what others have and jealousy as a result of paralyzing fear. While the theme of jealousy remains

rampant throughout the play, Shakespeare utilizes both forms to illustrate a theme of being

deceived and blinded by intense emotions.

In Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello, he illustrates multiple ongoing themes of jealousy

through the manipulation tactics of Iago and Roderigo, followed by Othello’s gullibility. As Iago

strives to portray his facade of honesty in recounting his suspicions of infidelity between Casio

and Desdemona, he exclaims: “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster

which doth mock / The meat it feeds on” (III.iii.195-197). In referring to jealousy as the

“green-eyed monster”, this metaphor alludes to the fact that jealousy occurs when appearances

are twisted. In Othello’s case, Iago’s recounting of his suspicions enrages him, yet he doesn’t

outwardly display his concern for Desdemona’s unfaithfulness. Up until this point in the play,

Othello had been completely honest about every situation he had been in—this is the first time

Othello had lied in order to keep up with his formidable appearance. As the “green-eyed

monster” would suggest, Othello’s fear of losing Desdemona, along with her potentially ruining

his reputation, causes him to be unable to distinguish reality from what Iago had told him.
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Because of this, he acts out of character and perhaps loses sight of what he would otherwise be

able to see through.

As the play progresses, the dynamic between Desdemona and Othello weakens. Othello,

already distraught and confused, begins to demand “ocular proof” of his wife’s infidelity. Unable

to provide immediate evidence, Iago improvises and provokes Othello, asking him, “Have you

not sometimes seen a handkerchief / Spotted with strawberries in your wife’s hand?”

(III.iii.493-494). Othello informs Iago that the handkerchief was a gift from him to Desdemona

and explains its significance, to which Iago responds, “I know not that; but such a

handkerchief— / I am sure it was your wife’s—did I today / See Cassio wipe his beard with”

(III.iii.496-498). This sends Othello into a fit of rage and anguish, in which he vows to take

revenge on both Cassio and Desdemona, simultaneously making Iago his new lieutenant as a

symbol of trust. Completely convinced that Cassio is now essentially in possession of

Desdemona, Othello’s sense of honor and manhood is destroyed. Shakespeare uses this climax of

Iago’s deceitful plan to depict Othello’s feelings of envy and rage—both a result of the loss of his

wife, and envy of Cassio. His reaction to his jealousy imitates that of the aforementioned

“green-eyed monster”, implying that his vow to murder his wife is monstrous and animal-like.

Shakespeare strikingly portrays the extent to which jealousy can blind an individual, and how in

this case, hatred becomes stronger than love.

In a chaotic spiral of events, it is eventually revealed to Othello by Emilia (Iago’s wife)

that Desdemona was faithful to him and Iago had been deceiving him this whole time. Having

already murdered Desdemona, Othello knew there was no going back. Othello finds a sword, and

as Iago made his appearance, he stabs him to the point of injury, but not death. Torn and

shattered, Othello screams:

Whip me, you devils,

From the possession of this heavenly sight!

Blow me about in winds, roast me in sulfur,

Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!

O Desdemon! Dead, Desdemon! Dead! O, O!

(V.ii.328-332)

Mourning the loss of his faithful wife, Othello chants one last speech and stabs himself,

ultimately dying by Desdemona’s side. In the end, he is consumed with grief, feelings of

betrayal, and complete confusion as to the events that led up to his death. Jealousy fueled a fire

in Othello that caused the death of several individuals throughout the play, demonstrating the

power of deceit. Shakespeare exemplifies how envy led to Othello’s death, provided that he felt

Cassio stole his honor and dignity as a man, alongside the fact that Iago and Roderigo’s envy is

the root of this entire scheme.

In summation, Othello combines the power of envy and loss to depict the development of

jealousy, and uses various scenes to demonstrate the power of such hatred. At multiple points

throughout this tragic play, the power of hatred and love exchange blows, though which force

truly won is arguable. The power of jealousy interchanged these forces in Othello, Iago, Cassio,

and Desdemona, whereas the combination of envy, loss, hatred, and love ultimately resulted in

the same ending: death.