Othello Jealousy

‘O, beware, my lord, of jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster." (Act3.3) Describe the changes that Othello undergoes as Iago succeeds in arousing his jealousy.'

From Act One to Act Three of ‘Othello', we witness the course of Othello's transformation from the beginning of the story to Iago's success in arousing his jealousy.

Let us first take a look at Othello's character in the very beginning. When Othello first appeared in Act 1, Scene 2, he was a good, honest man, who was domestically a loving husband, and politically a highly respected general who knew his own value.

In the scene, Othello showed us his confidence in his reputation and importance by saying, in lines 19-20, ‘My services which I have done the signiory/ Shall out-tongue his[Brabantio's] complaints', and in lines 32-33, ‘My parts, my title, and my perfect soul/ Shall manifest me rightly'. Apparently, at this stage, Othello was conscious of his importance to the state, and he valued his title and reputation highly. Such attitude towards his career would later be transformed.

In lines 25-28, Othello told Iago that ‘But that I love the gentle Desdemona,/ I would not my unhoused free condition/ Put into circumscription and confine/ For the sea's worth'. From his speech, we can see not only his deep love for Desdemona, but also his straightforwardness. To Othello, the love between him and Desdemona was reason sufficient for their marriage. It did not seem to have occurred to him that the marriage might appear offensive to some, due to the differences in status and race between him and Desdemona. However, later in the play, not only Othello's love towards Desdemona turned into bitter hatred, but he also lost his straightforwardness, becoming suspicious and untruthful.

In Act 1, Scene 3, in dealing with Brabantio and the Council, Othello displayed his composure and his confidence in Desdemona's love for him. When Brabantio accused Othello of theft and witchcraft in front of the council, Othello did not react with anger or heated arguments, but instead he presented a calm, humble speech, as well as an account of his ‘whole course of love' with Desdemona. Through all these gentle and yet passionate words, Othello appeared to be an honest and open man, who was also a loving husband. In this scene, Othello sent for Desdemona to speak for his innocence. He said, in lines 115-119 that ‘Send for the lady to the Sagittary/ And et her speak of me before her father./ If you do find me foul in her report,/ The trust, the office, I do hold of you/ Not only take away, but let your sentence/ Even fall upon my life'. It was rare, at the time in history, for men to respect women's opinions. Obviously Othello trusted his wife's love for him deeply, that he was willing to put his life upon her words. His action also showed that he not only loved Desdemona, but