Kyle E. Coons

ERH-321WX-01

Short Assignment on Othello

10/17/17

Help Received: Othello, Microsoft Word, Class Hand-Outs

Part 1:

During the Early Modern England period the perspectives on jealousy were closely tied into the perspectives on love and how both men and women expressed themselves. Kim Hall includes the views of Thomas Buoni, Benedetto Varchi, and Robert Burton that wrote during this time on jealousy and love. Each of these writers cover interesting points on how jealousy was involved in the culture during this time period. Thomas Buoni takes a focus on how the gifts love ones give each other tie to the emotions they hold for their significant others. He explored different reasons those who give these gifts might have done so, to include showing the loved one that they exceed the value of the gift being given. Benedetto Varchi and Robert Burton go more in depth with the ties between love and jealousy that were present in the culture during the Early Modern England period.

Benedetto Varchi in particular defines “jealousy rather circularly as ‘a kind of suspicious Care, or a careful kind of Suspicion’” (Hall 328). His view was that jealousy comes a man’s attempt to keep his reputation and honor in line. He continued to place the manner of jealousy to be brought by three specific groups. These groups included “1. The Party that is Jealous 2. His Mistress, over whom he is Jealous 3. The Person whom he suspecteth, and therefore is Jealous of him” (Hall 332). To better explain these three manners, Varchi tried to express to his readers that jealousy is presented to either the person expressing it, a man being jealous of his loved one or the man he is suspicious his loved one is involved with. As for Robert Burton, he describes love to be the most dangerous emotion we possess due to the jealousy that presents itself. Burton states “Of all passions… Love is most violent, and of those bitter potions this Love-Melancholy affords, this bastard jealousy is the greatest, as appears by those prodigious Symptoms which it hath and that it produceth” (Hall 335). For the terrible feeling of jealousy Burton believed there was but one cure, it didn’t include killing or divorce, it was simply to have patience.

Part 2:

Shakespeare’s ability to include the cultural view on jealousy of his time was clearly represented through the character Othello. When the play begins Othello and Desdemona’s shared love is questioned but proven and presented to the Duke and Desdemona’s father. The biggest issue that Iago tries and successfully convinced Roderigo to use to fuel his attempt to capture Desdemona’s love away from Othello was that the love was un-pure due to Othello being a Moor. Iago in turn puts this very thought into Othello’s head to play with his emotions, in particular jealousy, as he attempts to convince Othello that Desdemona does not love him. Rather, Iago conjures up a plot to make Othello feel that she is not loyal to him, and is having relations with Cassio. When Iago is in the process of making Othello believe his suspicions are true, he mentions “I know not that; but such a handkerchief – I am sure it was your wife’s – did I today See Cassio wipe his beard with” (III. iii. 452-454). Othello goes on to view Cassio with this handkerchief, whom Iago cleverly placed upon. This act verifies Othello’s burning jealousy that his beloved must be having relations with someone else (Desdemona with Cassio).

This specific action and conversation in Act III encompasses the views covered by all three writers of this time covered in Part 1. Othello’s gift to his beloved Desdemona, the handkerchief which was given to him from his mother and represents complete love and trust, was covered by Thomas Buoni in his writings on the importance behind gifts loved ones’ exchange. Othello’s jealousy also represents the three manners of jealousy Benedetto Varchi presents in “The Blazon of Jealousy” with Othello’s jealousy towards his mistress (Desdemona) and his jealousy towards the man she is having relations with (Cassio). Lastly, Robert Burton’s views on jealousy were also brought forward by Shakespeare in Othello. Othello let the poison of jealousy overcome himself and it resulted in him acting hastily and taking the life of Desdemona. He did not use the only cure that Burton mentions, which is that of patience. If he was to wait and be patient with his actions, the truth behind Iago’s plans would have been revealed before he took Desdemona’s life and his jealousy would have been resolved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

Hall, Kim F., ed.. Othello. By William Shakespeare. New York: Bedford/St.

Martin’s, 2007.  Print.

Shakespeare, William. Othello,. Ed. Kim F. Hall. New York: Bedford/St.

Martin’s, 2007. Print.