Othellos jealousy and the speed at which it develops are absurd. How far do you feel you can agree with this statement?

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“Othello’s jealousy and the speed at which it develops are absurd.’’ How far do you feel you can agree with this statement?

 Jealousy is weapon used in the play that is used to cause disturbances between Othello and Desdemona. The speed at which Othello’s jealousy spreads throughout the play is absurd as at the start of play Othello sees Desdemona as his pride and only love however he is heavily reliant on Iago and when Iago tells him about the handkerchief he believes him.  Nevertheless, he has reasons to justify his jealousy as he sees Desdemona with Cassio. However, from the audiences view it is a completely different interpretation to how Othello see’s this. His jealousy is recognised by himself and this is what makes it absurd. It can be argued that the jealousy that Othello feels towards Desdemona is not actually real. This can be said as Othello is more suspicious of Desdemona which is causing the jealousy.

‘’O beware, my lord, of jealousy:

It is the green eyed monster’’ (Act 3, Scene 3, Lines: 167-68, Page 66)

Until this point Othello was not jealous and was confused, at this point Othello is thinking and understands what he’s saying and this is when the change starts to happen and the jealousy in Othello starts to progress and becomes real. Although this can be seen as jealousy, it is actually Othello’s anger at Desdemona which Iago notices and increases Othello’s suspicions which at that point can be seen turning into jealousy. It is ironic that Iago himself is telling Othello to beware of ‘jealousy’ when it is actually Iago that is creating differences between Othello and Desdemona. Nevertheless, the jealousy that Othello feels for Desdemona can be seen as love, as the reason as to why Othello is jealous is because he believes that there is a relationship between Cassio and Desdemona which suggests that Othello does not want Desdemona to drift away from him.

‘’ But O, what damned minutes tells he o’er

Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet fondly loves?’’ (Act 3, Scene 3, Lines: 171-172, Page 66)

The quotation above is where the change in Othello happens. Iago encourages Othello’s suspicions to turn into jealousy. Othello’s love for Desdemona can be questioned at this point as Iago gives Othello ‘proof’ to justify the relationship between Casio and Desdemona which he acquires through deceitful means. However Othello does not question the authenticity of the evidence that Iago provides for him which is ironic as Othello is trusting Iago yet it is him who is slowly breaking the relationship between him and Desdemona. It is unusual that although Desdemona is Othello’s wife, he trusts Iago who is against him. This implies that Othello’s trust for Desdemona undermines the fact that she is a woman. Othello is unable to trust Desdemona as she is a woman and Iago a man.

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                      We are able to see that the person who influences Othello’s jealousy to become real is Iago. Although it is Iago that prompts Othello, the audience have an angered feeling against him as Othello doesn’t question Iago which is also absurd. It is ironic that Othello has so much trust in Iago yet Iago despises Othello so much. Also he is not able to see Iago as the destruction and this can be recognised as one of the tragic elements in Othello that make the novel a tragedy.

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