Othello: Theme of Jealousy

"Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on." III.iii.167-168

       Though the theme of jealousy does not appear until the third act, it is perhaps the most relevant theme throughout the entire play. Here, with Iago's villainous words, the seed is planted in Othello's mind. This seed grows and grows to the point that it consumes Othello and eventually leads to his strangling of Desdemona, and his ultimate suicide. As this theme of jealousy grows more and more, it creates suspense and tension that keeps the audience entertained and paying attention. In the case of Shakespeare, this jealousy may be a bit over exaggerated. An experienced military leader such as Othello would most likely not be so obsessed with the idea a lower ranking officer put into his mind. However the realism of his jealousy is one that everybody can relate to in some way or another.