Week One Discussion Questions, # 8

Jazmine Navarro

8. Our text categorizes Othello as a play about "jealous" love -- why do you think this (very general) thematic idea is the best/most ideal lens through which to look at Othello? How does Shakespeare introduce/develop the notion of jealousy?

In Act 1, Scene 1 Roderigo (with the help of Iago) begins to shout that thieves are robbing the estate of Brabantio, thus waking him and causing him to ask them to explain themselves. They say that his estate has been robbed, but not of material items, but of his daughter, Desdemona. They do this because Desdemona has married Othello and Roderigo is in love with Desdemona. This first scene begins the theme of the story – love and jealousy.

The story is best categorized as jealous love because it is just that. It shows the extent people will go when jealousy plays a part in love. Roderigo is jealous of Othello because he has Desdemona – the one thing we wants and even wanted to kill himself over her. Othello is jealous of Cassio because Iago manipulates him into believing that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. Iago goes as far as planting a Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s quarters. At one point Othello even falls into an epileptic fit because he is so consumed with jealousy over Cassio and Desdemona. All the while Roderigo is still there and is still jealous of Othello and Cassio. Iago then tells Roderigo that he must murder Cassio to be able to have a clear path to Desdemona and to keep them from leaving. Roderigo ends up wounding Cassio instead of killing him and Roderigo ends up being murdered. Meanwhile, Othello is planning to kill Desdemona and does so. After Othello finds out that Desdemona never had an affair with Cassio he tries to kill Iago, but fails, which kills Emilia and while trying to flee he is caught. Othello is then told he has to go back to be tried but ends up killing himself. The whole entire story is about someone being jealous of someone else’s love, which ends up in a blood bath, and no one really getting what they wanted.