Introduction
Among the many plays created by Shakespeare, one of the most outstanding was the tragedy of Othello. The play’s conflict is based on feelings of trust, love, and jealousy. The work is based on the tragedy that lies in Othello’s downfall, which consists of the murder of his beloved woman, Desdemona. Although the work traces many reasons why Othello’s fall could have happened, the main reason is his all-consuming jealousy.
Research Summary Paragraph #1
To understand the reasons for Othello’s jealousy, it is necessary to understand why people can be jealous. Jealousy is a combination of unpleasant emotions that arise when a person perceives that a significant other is not showing them enough love and affection. In other words, jealousy combines a possessive feeling and a desire to be the only one for a loved one.
Desdemona was falsely compromised by Iago’s vile act because her handkerchief was “planted” in Cassio’s bedroom. Othello receives information about his wife’s infidelity, and a jealous rage breaks out in him. Despite all her vows of loyalty and love, he cannot curb his jealousy and kills his beloved.
Research Summary Paragraph #2
Iago played a significant role in the downfall of Othello since Othello trusted only him and no one else who was next to him. Iago receives a bribe from Rodrigo, and the task is to destroy the relationship between Othello and Desdemona, for which Iago becomes close to the main character of the tragedy. Jealousy and the murder of Desdemona were the beginning of Othello’s downfall, but he is one of the reasons for this fall (Altaf and Lodhi 169). This is because he trusts those people who betrayed him and killed a faithful and devoted beloved woman.
Evidence from the Play #1
Othello trusted Him too much, and from this began the tragedy that later led to the death of Desdemona. Othello said: “Even so my bloody thoughts with violent pace Shall ne’er look back, ne’er ebb to humble love” (Shakespeare 3.3.) At this moment, the main character suspects Desdemona and Cassio of betrayal and is considering a plan for his revenge. He began to hate his once beloved woman and the employee serving him faithfully.
Evidence from the Play #2
Desdemona tries to convince her husband that she is chaste, but her protests only aggravate the situation and make Othello even more furious. He decides to kill his beloved because he is convinced that her soul is cursed and she is just an adulteress. In Othello’s thoughts: “Therefore, be double damned: Swear you art honest” (Shakespeare 4.2.).
The end of the story is no less tragic, as Othello learns of Desdemona’s innocence after her murder and utters the remark: “Then you must speak Of one that loved not wisely but too well” (Shakespeare 5.2.). He sees his downfall in his boundless love for Desdemona, leading to a sad ending.
Counterargument
Although killing out of boundless love and jealousy are apparent reasons for Othello’s downfall, some readers tend to see other motives. In his work, Castillo writes that the influence of society and its people led to the fall of Othello (23). Undoubtedly, Iago and his assistant Emilia played a significant role in the quarrel between Desdemona and Othello, but jealousy led to the main character killing his wife. People were able to instill in Othello a feeling of suspicion of his wife’s infidelity, but still, this jealousy was why he believed them and not her.
Conclusion
In conclusion, William Shakespeare became the author of the tragedy “Othello,” which tells about the lies, betrayal, and murder of the beloved woman by the main character. There are many versions of what exactly led to the main character’s fall, but one of the most likely versions is Othello’s jealousy of his wife, Desdemona. The tragedy lies in the fact that close people deceived Othello into believing that his wife was cheating on him, and this lie and destructive jealousy led to the tragic end of the play.
Works Cited
Altaf, Faiza, and Muhammad Arfan Lodhi. “Rhetorical Appeals Used in Shakespearean Soliloquies of Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello.” (2023). Web.
Castillo, Rodney. “Identity Formation and the Stranger in William Shakespeare’s Othello and The Merchant of Venice.” (2019). Web.
Shakespeare, William. “Othello.” CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2020.