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  • Essay / The impact of Iago's jealousy on the relationship between Othello and Desdemona

    Love is sometimes quick and passionate, but when it turns sour, jealousy can easily arise in the same way. Humans are often quick to fall into jealousy, whether because of someone's lifestyle or a relationship, and this can cause some to act on their impulses. In Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago's jealousy translated into the desire to want to ruin Othello's life. Othello's response to this was his mental deterioration from a confident and noble man to a man jealous of Desdemona's supposed affair with Cassio, while Desdemona's response was complete and utter confidence in the love of 'Othello to her until the very end. The tools employed by Iago include lying and manipulation, and the "green-eyed monster" can be tamed by the Christian by demonstrating humility and sticking to the truth. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Iago's jealousy is the main driving force of the plot, which results in a desire to ruin the life of 'Othello by any means possible, using tools of manipulation to achieve this goal. His jealousy caused him to hate Othello in the first place, thinking he had done something with his wife Emilia. “I hate the Moor, and people think abroad that between my sheets, he did my job. I do not know whether this is true, but, for mere suspicions of this kind, I will do as if to make sure of it” (Shakespeare 1.3.378-381). Iago works on what is essentially a rumor, and it has catastrophic results for everyone involved. This sentence he said in the first act of the play states the reason for his jealousy and what he does with this feeling is seen throughout the play. His jealousy leads him to manipulate Othello to the point that he physically manifests himself in an epileptic seizure. Iago however shows no remorse for causing this to happen in him, instead rejoicing and saying, "Work, my medicine is working!" Thus gullible fools are caught, and even so many worthy and chaste ladies, all innocent, invite reproach” (Shakespeare 4.1.44-47). This is not the first of Iago's lies, and it is certainly not the last, for each of them has brought Othello closer and closer to the brink of revenge for Desdemona's alleged infidelity. Through these lines, we see the effects of Iago's psychological games on Othello's mind. His skills have proven useful in psychotherapy, but not in the same way he uses them. “Recent advances in this discipline regarding phenomena such as indirect hypnotic suggestions and paradoxical interventions highlight Iago's incredible prowess.” His manipulations do not simply remain in the literary domain as this text shows, and they are clearly very effective. Iago knows exactly how to mess with other characters' heads to get the results he desires. Othello and Desdemona react to Iago's manipulation in very different ways, with Othello falling prey to Iago's lies and succumbing to his jealousy, and Desdemona refusing to do so. I believe Othello could be jealous and trust him completely with all his heart. Othello's symptoms are now recognized around the world as a real mental illness, since nicknamed "Othello syndrome". “Othello syndrome is a psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of infidelity or jealousy; it often occurs in the context of medical, psychiatric or neurological disorders. At least 30% of cases in the literature..