Shakespearean Tragedy Involving Jealousy, Trust, and Pride
Shakespearean Tragedy Involving Jealousy, Trust, & Pride
William Shakespeare's play "Othello" is a perfect example of classic Shakespearean tragedy. The tragic hero in this play is the main character, Othello. Othello's misfortune comes about because of his jealousy, trust, and his pride.
Jealousy is the main factor that appears to destroy Othello. Iago is the initiator of the chain of events that sparks jealousy in Othello, and eventually leads to the downfall of not only the main character, but also of most of the significant characters in the book. In the beginning of the book, Iago is known as "honest Iago", however, throughout the play, he constantly lies and conspires evil plans to get even at Othello. "Despise me if I do not. Three great ones of the city, in personal suit to make me his lieutenant, off-capped to him, and by the faith of man, I know my price; I am worth no worse a place. But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, evades them with a bombast circumstance. Horribly stuffed with epithets of war; Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he, 'I have already chosen my officer.' And what was he? Forsooth, a great arithmetician, one Michael Cassio, a Florentine, that never set a squadron in the field…" (pg.27-28). This quote demonstrates that Iago has a grudge against Othello.
It may seem as if Iago caused Othello's downfall, however this is not the case. It can be argued that if Othello had not been so blindly jealous and trusting in Iago, he would have seen his evil plan to destroy him. Throughout the book, Iago constantly convinces Othello of things that aren't true. Othello believes Iago because he has so much trust in him. Othello believes everything that Iago tells him without actually seeking the truth. This leads Othello to kill Desdamona without actually finding concrete proof that she was promiscuous. Not once did Othello doubt Iago's words. He even believed Iago over his own wife without a doubt.
As events unfold and Iago has nicely set up a counterfeit affair between Desdemona and Cassio, Othello shows extreme signs of jealousy. "Lie with her? Lie on her? We say lie on her when they belie her. Lie with her! Zounds, that's fulsome. Handkerchief, confessions, handkerchief! To confess, and be hanged for his labor; first to be hanged, and then to confess! I tremble at it. Nature would not...