Othello: Act 2 Scene 1. Tu Minh

1) How does Shakespeare explore the theme of jealousy in these extracts?

The theme of jealousy is focus on the character Iago. In this extract, Shakespeare explores the theme of jealousy through the contrast image between the joyful and exquisite poetic description of the reunite of the couple, Othello and Desdemona, and the malicious and deceptive Iago plotting his plan. Through the use of dramatic device to create tension for the audience in the contrast, Shakespeare shows the overwhelming jealousy from Iago toward Othello. As well as Iago’s soliloquy at the end of Act 2 Scene 1 shows the audience the plotting and the reason for his jealousy and resentment toward both Othello and Cassio.

The contrast of the mood from the way Shakespeare uses Othello’s poetic speeches to represent his joy to be reunited with his beloved Desdemona and the contrast malicious“[Aside]” from Iago’s speeches to represent his jealousy and plotting against Othello. This creates the dramatic irony in the audience perspective to see this contrast between Iago and Othello which creates tension for the audience. Through this Shakespeare is able to highlight Iago’s deceptive nature, his malicious and intellectual mind and his two-face personality in response to his jealousy toward Othello.

The theme of jealousy is further explored in Iago’s soliloquy at the end of Act 2 Scene 1, through the use of vivid imagery and harsh and resentful language use by Iago to emphasize his jealousy and his plan to bring down Othello and Cassio. This linked back to the start of Act 2 Scene where the audience can see the bitterness and sarcasm in Iago’s speech when he talks about women and their virtue. In this soliloquy it shows that Iago’s view on women and his bitterness toward Othello and Cassio is from his suspicion that both Othello and Cassio had an affair with his wife, which shows through “the lusty Moor – Hath leaped into my seat” and “For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too –“the women are represent in the phrases, “my seat” and “my night-cap” emphasize Iago’s view on women as nothing more than properties that he owns. From the beginning of the play, the audience is only guessing Iago’s bitterness towards Othello through the way he uses animal imagery and harsh language that he uses to describe Othello. In this extract the audience is able to see the reason, as Iago admits the point of Othello that he jealous about “that I endure him not, - Is of a constant, loving, noble nature”. This shows that Iago is jealous of Othello’s good qualities. Also with the help of the contrast in mood between Othello and Iago speeches added on to Iago’s jeaslousy of Othello’s good qualities foreshadows the plotting of Iago’s plan to use these “noble” qualities to go against Othello, which leads to his downfall.

2) How would an audience react to Iago’s plotting against Othello, Desdemona and Cassio?

Shakespeare is skillful in create tension within the audience through the way Shakespeare always mentioning Iago’s deceptive nature and the plotting of his plan as Shakespeare always end the scene with Iago’s soliloquy. This makes the audience to fell constant threat from Iago which makes the audience to feel uneasy even in the scene of the emotional reuniting of the couple. The dramatic irony heightens the tension from the audience as it is absolute that at this point the audience will know how Iago will carries out his plan against Othello, Desdemona and Cassio, but to see these characters walk into Iago’s plan creates tension and sadness in the audience as they can sympathies to Othello and Desdemona’s love and felt sorry for Cassio as Shakespeare also represent him as a very courteous and noble.