Jealousy is apparent throughout Shakespeare’s Othello. The tragedy Othello highlights the doom of Othello and various chief characters as a result of jealousy. Jealousy is mainly depicted through the two main characters: Othello and Iago. It destroys their lives since it makes Iago depict his true self, which successively prompts Othello to undertake total conversion that ends the lives of their friends. Shakespeare denotes how jealousy, to be specific sexual jealousy, is among the most vicious and demeaning factor of emotions. Jealousy is the tactic that Iago implements to awaken Othello's passions; jealousy too is what stimulates Iago to plan Othello's downfall. The author uses the theme of jealousy in this play to portray a feeling that every individual shares. In Othello, Shakespeare presents the idea that when Othello demands ocular proof, Iago must provide in order to prove Desdemona's infidelity.
When Othello demands an ocular proof in Act 3, Scene 3, Line 360, he is demanding physical, actual evidence of his wife's betrayal that is recognizable. The instruments used by Iago for knowing the other: hearing, speculating, and seeing, prove to be insufficient for Othello. He is unaware of what went on between Cassio and Desdemona and his thoughts are driven by an illogical fear stemming from an apprehension that he can never understand her wife to the extent that he wants. From the extract, Othello demands the ocular proof from Iago by stating that, "Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore; Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof;" Othello stresses for ocular proof, tangible evidence that will make him believe in his wife's infidelity (Shakespeare, 3.3.360). This becomes the critical moment of the show. It puts Iago in a dangerous state where he has to provide a tangible evidence to back up his deceitful allegations or die. This is depicted in the same act, Scene 3, where Othello states that “If thou dost slander her and torture me, Never pray more; abandon all remorse; On horror’s head horrors accumulates, Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amazed, for nothing canst thou to damnation add, Greater than that” (Shakespeare, 3.3.380). Othello describes his potential anger if it comes to his knowledge that Iago is lying to him about the infidelity of his wife. It is as a result of the uncertainty that may be caused by Iago’s allegations that makes Othello insist he needs concrete proof. His utterances make Iago go an extra mile to provide proof to ensure there is no doubt about his planned allegations.
Iago gets ownership of Othello's handkerchief out of desperation in order to prove his accusation. He succeeds to convey it to Cassio's ownership. He later schemes to have Othello see Cassio playing it with Bianca. There are many damages brought by this handkerchief. First, this handkerchief facilitates Desdemona's death and second, it leads to the downfall and exposure of Iago. This happens when Emilia decrees to numerous observers that Iago had her take the ocular proof (handkerchief) from Desdemona. Moreover, this handkerchief is what makes Iago gain more trust from Othello. It stimulates Iago's ability to deceive Othello and this motivates Othello's hatred towards Desdemona and Cassio. It is a strategy that works in his plot to disintegrate Othello’s family.
The ocular proof is greatly brought out in Act 3 scene 3 and Act 3 scene 4. Both events are closely related. This starts when Cassio pleads to Desdemona to talk to his husband and convince him to give Cassio his lieutenant job back. But at this point, Iago and Othello see them together which makes Cassio leave guiltily. From this, Iago uses manipulative language to convince Othello of Cassio and Desdemona's love triangle. He tries to find the ocular proof that will make him believe of wife's infidelity (Adams 239). The same handkerchief falsely proved the love triangle between Cassio and Desdemona. Additionally, it reminded Othello of his wife’s infidelity whenever he saw it. Othello refers to the ocular proof in Act 5, scene 2 when he is about to kill his wife. He states, "By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in hand! O perjured woman! Thou dost stone my heart And make me call I intend to do, A murderer, which I thought a sacrifice. I saw the handkerchief” (5.2.70-74). Othello used the evidence he had been given by Iago as a reason to murder his wife. However, he did not question the authenticity of the evidence before he made the decision to kill his wife. He did not realize there was an aspect of jealousy from Iago that was castigating him to focus on his wife’s infidelity.
Shakespeare uses imagery to bring out the ocular proof in the play. He uses the pattern of strawberries, colored with a virgins’ blood, on a white background to sturdily depict the spots left in the sheets on the wedding night of a virgin girl. This implicitly suggests that the handkerchief guarantees of fidelity as well as virginity. Othello’s hiding spot behind bars is another ocular proof used by Shakespeare to depict Othello’s situation in the play. In Act 4, Scene 1, Othello is seen to be hiding from Cassio and Iago. This gives the feeling of being trapped. Additionally, in the movie presented in class, Othello is seen locked behind bars as he viewed. Shakespeare has used this image to enable the audience to better understand Othello’s situation - feeling small, trapped and dishonored. The bar also shows a trap that Iago has set for Othello. This is ironical since Othello does not know that he is trapped, which links with the trap set by Iago.
The desire of proof in the play is used to bring out the theme of jealousy and manipulation. To start with, Iago is seen as a master of deception and manipulation. He immensely changes the personality of Othello and this makes Othello embrace Iago's way of thinking. Iago's deceptions target Othello's jealousy all through the entire play. In Act 4, Scene 1, Iago torments Othello by dropping suggestions into his ears saying, "As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad. And his unbookish jealousy must construe poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behavior quite in the wrong" (Shakespeare, 4.1.115-118). This scene provides an ocular proof that Othello is a jealous person. He could not have wanted an ocular proof and could not have hated Desdemona and Cassio to the point of killing if he was not jealous. Moreover, Othello’s jealousy obstructs his capability to distinguish between appearance and reality (Adams, 241). While Iago denigrates Othello as a beast or an animal based on his race, Othello's observable intelligence and honor makes the attacks to be clearly ridiculous. However, when Othello becomes jealous, he does become animal-like, dwindling into epileptic fits that raid his ability to speak comprehensibly.
Shakespeare uses the main character, Othello, to portray the theme of jealousy (Putman 2). This is depicted when Iago manipulates Othello that his wife has been unfaithful. As a result of this, Othello ends up killing his wife and killing himself too. Although Iago uses jealousy to manipulate Othello, from the start of the play, it is seen that jealousy is the most likely source that drives Iago's hatred towards Othello. In the play, Shakespeare has used many forms of jealousy to show the attachment for misdirected knowledge or proof. It starts from professional competition to sexual suspicion, which becomes destructive in the end (Putman 29). The cases of jealousy based on sexual elements have proved to be fatal and very critical. It can lead to individuals taking extreme measures such as that by Othello. The play aims to illustrate the need to verify information given by friends regarding different issues in life to ensure that there is no ill motive.
The conclusion used in the play is by far the greatest part. The whole story rotates around an ocular proof that Iago must provide to Othello to show his wife's infidelity. Shakespeare has done a great job to show how an unreasonable jealousy brought by a devilish villain prompts a man to kill his wife, a woman he loves more than anything in the world. He does not want to kill her but has to fight a battle with himself. Othello loves his wife, but he feels compelled to kill her due to the way Iago has successfully managed to manipulate him and distort his thinking.
Works Cited
Adams, Maurianne S. "" Ocular Proof" in Othello and Its Source." Publications of the Modern Language Association of America (1964): 234-241.
Putnam, Jennifer. "Jealousy in Othello." English Journal 9 (2005).
Shakespeare, W., " Dyce, A. (1868). Othello the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (Vol. 31). B. Tauchnitz.
