Othello: Act 2 Scene 1 - Arusha Mehta

OTHELLO
ACT 2 SCENE 1
How does Shakespeare explore the theme of jealousy in these extracts?
The theme of jealousy is explored through the character of Iago in several forms as his bitterness and jealousy is directed towards Othello, Othello’s faithful marriage, Cassio’s promotion and Emilia supposedly sleeping with Othello/Cassio.
The theme of jealousy is exacerbated and developed through Iago initially through his bitterness towards Othello and his faithful marriage with Desdemona. During a heated challenging discussion with Desdemona, Desdemona reveals that she has no intentions of indulging in infidelity, something Iago claims Emilia has previously done, “would she give you so much of her lips” (Line 100). His jealousy towards their perfectly content and faithful marriage is revealed through his derogatory, disdainful declaration of his view on women and how they are but “wild cats” and “devils” (Line 110-111).
Additionally, Iago’s jealousy and bitterness is further heightened through the contrast between Iago and Emilia’s short, indifferent interaction and Othello and Desdemona’s affectionate, poignant reunion. As Shakespeare intensifies the theme of love, he also intentionally intensifies the theme of jealousy. Structurally, he places Iago within the scene where Othello and Desdemona reciprocate undivided, everlasting love to each other to intentionally depict Iago as undermining their love. While Othello and Desdemona kiss, Iago declares in an aside his intentions of plotting against them, therefore this mitigates the poignant, gratifying effect of their love by allowing Iago to undermine it, simply because he is jealous of Othello, and his marriage.
Iago’s jealousy is further intensified through his derogatory, distasteful explanation as to why Othello and Desdemona’s marriage will fail, for not only does he render Desdemona lustful, impulsive and incapable of fidelity, but he claims Desdemona will lose interest in him because her “eye must be fed” (line 223), and thus declaring that Othello is horrendous for he is not pleasing to the eye, and this has clear undertones of racism. His insults are spoken with such conviction that he seems to be enforcing these views upon himself to despise Othello for he is exceptionally jealous of him, hence he claims the Moor is “defective” (Line 228).
However, in addition to Iago, Roderigo is clearly jealous of not only Othello but Cassio as he is apprised by Iago that Desdemona is in love with him. The theme of jealousy is developed to such a degree that Iago has already implemented his plotting in order to combat his jealousy by instigating the demise of those that his jealousy is directed at, he proceeds to tell Cassio that Desdemona paddled “with the palm of [Cassio’s] hand” (Line 251). Roderigo’s extreme jealousy and disappointment at not being Desdemona’s lover leads to him easily being convinced to take part in Iago’s plots.
To later confirm the audience’s suspicions, Iago’s soliloquy develops the plot of jealousy and deceit as Iago openly declares and state’s Othello’s good character, nature and his capability to evoke admiration, but it is Othello’s perfection that instigates Iago to not be able to “endure him” (Line 286). Othello’s brilliance, “constant, loving, noble nature” (Line 287) leads to Iago’s jealousy but since Iago has no basis for his revenge that he so greatly desires to “content [his] soul” (Line 296), he unreasonably and falsely justifies his intentions, claiming Othello slept with Emilia and therefore he is jealous and must sabotage his marriage to Desdemona.

How would an audience react to Iago’s plotting against Othello, Desdemona and Cassio?
The audience is made uncomfortable by the heavy dramatic irony, as Shakespeare keeps reminding the audience of Iago’s plots and intentions during his asides and soliloquy’s and not allowing the audience to revel in the joy of the other characters and their love such as Desdemona and Othello. Now that the tragedy and conflict has been directed strictly to domestic life, the audience is even more intrigued, yet they cannot share in Desdemona’s and Othello’s love, nor Cassio’s promotion because they are constantly being reminding of and witnessing Iago’s plotting which further intensifies dramatic irony as they are kept abreast of the on goings but it also encourages the audience to be more alert yet susceptible to despise Iago for they are helpless and must continue to witness Iago’s brutal, vile and unreasonable train of thought and evil machinations. Therefore, through the naivety of the other characters, through Iago’s intelligent and skillful manipulation and machinations that they are directly apprised of, the audience are encouraged to not sympathize with Iago but more so with the other characters, they are obviously encouraged to react with disdain and contempt towards Iago for plotting such things against certain characters immediately after the joy of the other characters has been shared with the audience.