Jealousy In Shakespeare's Othello

Shakespeare's "Othello" is not simply a play. It shows people how jealousy and hateful treachery can drive anyone to tragic end. In this play, the main character is Othello. He is introduced as a tragic hero whose stories of hardships endeared him to his new bride Desdemona. She is truly in love and devoted in trust to Othello. Iago has a reputation for honesty and uses it for dishonest purposes. He is a smart person, but he has a very high opinion of himself, takes delight in his own evil. He knows that he cannot let Othello down, so he wants to have the position of Cassio who is Othello’s loyal lieutenant. In the whole play, Iago continues through out to use tricks and tell lies to accomplish his wishes. Roderigo is a Venetian gentleman
He feels uncomfortable, and demands Iago to show him "ocular proof." Iago can prove to him nothing because Desdemona and Cassio do not have an affair with each other. At the time that he almost foils his plan, his wife, Emilia gives him Desdemona’s handkerchief. She steals the handkerchief to Iago because she wants her husband to feel she is clever and useful. In Act III Scene III, Iago says in a condescending manner to Emilia a remark implying that she is a foolish wife. Emilia is about to give Iago the ocular proof. However, she never knows that she is giving him the tangible proof he needs to complete his plan. After getting the handkerchief, Iago continues plotting against Othello. He tells Othello that Desdemona gives the handkerchief to Cassio. If he wants to prove that Desdemona did not have an affair with Cassio, he should ask his wife to show him the handkerchief. The handkerchief is not just a simple gift. It is Othello’s mother's that was given to him, and that means it is the only thing that Othello’s family left to him. In Act III, Scene IV Othello says, “That’s a fault, That handkerchief did an Egyptian to my mother give; She was a charmer…while she kept it’s would make her amiable and subdue my father entirely to her love, but if she lost it or made a gift of it, my father’s eye should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt after
In two varying articles, each writer has the same feeling of Iago as I do. Harold C. Goddard writes, “Iago is a moral pyromaniac, and Iago consciously and unconsciously seeks to destroy the lives of others, especially others with high moral standards.” (Goddard 76) I totally agree with what he writes. Iago is a moral pyromaniac or devil pyromaniac whose fire is fueled by pure hatred. He is a hungry power monger whose appetite for destruction can only be satisfied after he has chewed up and spat out the lives of others. Iago lusts for power, but his sense of power is attained by annihilating others in a cruel and unusual way. Iago prepares and destroys his victims and then watches with evil in his eyes. Another writer, M. R. Ridley writes. “The ability to hurt is the most convincing display of one's power.” (Ridley lxi) Iago wants to show people that he is a smart person. However, he has no chances to let his power show throughout. He feels stressed, and useless. The only way to make him feel more comfortable is to hurt people, and bring them down in order to seize their position. He also thinks that the more people he can hurt the higher and his ego will climb and the power he obtains will satisfy