Envy and Honor in Shakespeare's Othello

In the Shakespearean tragedy of Othello jealousy is a major driving force behind the inner workings of the plot. It comes in varying forms from each character, such as jealousy of the honor that men esteem themselves with, to jealousy in the lustful desires of women they have.


 


The characters' jealous emotions are evident from the opening scene to the culmination of Othello's suicide in the end. Interestingly enough the character Michael Cassio, Othello's lieutenant, plays an integral role in both aforementioned scenes, and throughout as the source of the jealousy woven throughout the plot.


 


 Cassio's persona embodies a number of themes that come across in the play. He is what the men of the play both admire in themselves and jealously despise all at once, largely because of his ease in relations with the women of the play. The play's assumed hero Othello and villain Iago succumb to their own demise leaving innocent honor and truth to survive in Cassio. Thus making him the stand-alone example of what men ought to be and often fail to become in the society Shakespeare reflects in the play. Though within this reflection Cassio's character, which may be virtuous, raises certain questions of how much one should be concerned of their reputation in society.


 


 Even the Dramatis Personae has Cassio listed as the "honorable lieutenant" and so his virtuous nature is implied from the start. He is established throughout the play as a character we readily accept as not only Iago's initial jealousy, but also eventually Othello's. Personified as a loyal man, Cassio is dutiful and attentive to Othello as well as trusting to all including even the villain as he sincerely calls him "honest Iago" (Act 2, scene 3, ln.335). These both being important for Iago not only to toy with Cassio, but for Othello to plausibly believe his wife Desdemona would love another.