Jealousy is present in Othello and The Duchess of Malfi, throughout the full drama. Both plays nowadays green-eyed monster in different ways. Othello, who is ab initio seen as being free of all green-eyed monster and subsequently come oning into a covetous fury, is greatly contrasted to Ferdinand in The Duchess of Malfi leting Webster and Shakespeare to both examine whether green-eyed monster is portion of our natural traits, or whether we become covetous as a consequence of uncontrolled events.

The character of Othello, in Othello, is ab initio presented as being a baronial and virtuous character. He shows no marks of evident green-eyed monster and his address ( about how he thinks about things be forward he acts upon them ) , highlights the thought that Othello is non easy covetous and that for him green-eyed monster would be an unnatural human feature

However as the drama progresses it becomes more evident that Othello ‘s claims about ‘being one who is non easy covetous ‘ can non be relied upon since despite claiming that he has to see the act being committed and can non do judgement on rumors, he still acts irrationally and trusts ago about information about his married woman ‘s unfaithfulness. Therefore it is suggested that green-eyed monster has ever been present in Othello, yet because of his nature and evident ‘nobleness ‘ , he believes that he is rid of such features. This suggests that Othello ‘s green-eyed monster is in some manner masked by his aristocracy, yet has ever been present in him since the beginning of the drama.

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The character of Ferdinand, in The Duchess of Malfi, really much relates to Othello, in the regard that both characters are ‘possessed ‘ by their overpowering green-eyed monster, which leads them both to get down believing irrationally.

The impact of the control that green-eyed monster has upon both of these characters, is emphasised through the address and actions of the other characters, who witness how jealousy transforms the character into person who is about unrecognizable. In Othello, Desdemona witnesses the physical control green-eyed monster has over Othello, as he ‘gnaws on his lip ‘ and his orbs are seen as ‘rolling. This emphasises the thought that Othello has been inhibited by green-eyed monster and that he as an person has no control over this force. His deficiency of physical control over it shows how it can non be an property of his nature, since Desdemona has witnessed a alteration in his actions. This physical impact and clasp of green-eyed monster can besides be seen in The Duchess of Malfi, when Ferdinand ‘s fury upon hearing the intelligence of the Duchess ‘ kid, sends him into a green-eyed monster craze. He himself feels the genitive nature of his green-eyed monster, as it causes him to tremble and ‘palsy ‘ underneath it. This much like Othello ‘s physical response to his jealousy suggests that green-eyed monster is an unmanageable force, which once more argues that it is an unnatural human feature, since those possessed by it have no evident control over it. If it was a natural feature, so the covetous characters would be able to command their green-eyed monster better because it would be in their nature to command it.

However braddely argues that Othello ‘s green-eyed monster is a trait of his Moorishness and that his green-eyed monster stems from his nature. This would travel on to farther call on the carpet the thought that Othello has no power over his green-eyed monster and suggests that possibly Othello has experienced green-eyed monster before, because it is portion of his nature, but has non experienced it to this full extent. Or that the power of his green-eyed monster is emphasised because of his position/nobility or his feelings for Desdemona.

It has been suggested by critics that Othello ‘s green-eyed monster is a natural property of his race, a position reflected in Pory ‘s ‘Leo Africannus ‘ .

“ No state in the universe is so subiect vnto iealousie ; for they will instead leese their lives, so put vp any shame in the behalfe of their adult females ”

Othello ‘s word picture in the drama during his covetous fury appears to reflect this stereotyped image of the Moresque people.

For the character of Othello, jealousy becomes all-consuming, a toxicant which destroys his capacity for ground. As the drama progresses, Othello is metaphorically blinded by emotion, his judgement going progressively clouded as he dismisses any cogent evidence of Desdemona ‘s fidelity and becomes enslaved to the thoughts which Iago has implanted in his head.

However it can be argued that the extent to which Othello is consumed by green-eyed monster is non a natural human response, since other characters, who show marks of green-eyed monster, are non driven into a homicidal fury like Othello. Thus green-eyed monster is portrayed as an animalistic force, which inhabits Othello and leads to his ruin.

Jealousy is seen as an unnatural force in Othello because it is all consuming and alters Othello ‘s perceptual experience of the married woman which he one time loved so in a heartfelt way. This is besides evident in the Duchess of Malfi, where Ferdinand ‘s fury about the duchess ‘ birth of a kid, is viewed by the cardinal as an unnatural happening. The central senses that for Ferdinand the affair it much excessively personal and therefore it sends him into a frenzied fury. The central frights the uncertainness of Ferdinand ‘s fury, much like Desdemona fear Othello ‘s. His choler is described as a storm. Ferdinand refers to his choler as a paralysis, which are nonvoluntary shudders, which emphasises the physical control Ferdinand ‘s green-eyed monster has over him.

There is a suggestion by the cardinal that the physical control green-eyed monster has over Ferdinand is slightly captivating and says that it carries him “ as work forces conveyed by enchantresss through the air ” . This links back to the thought that green-eyed monster is a genitive force of the psyche and that the central sees his brothers actions change as if person has performed black charming upon him. Throughout the scene, Ferdinand continuously speaks of his programs of how to torment the duchess, which much like Othello ‘s shows how his green-eyed monster affects his address. The cardinal ‘s responses to Ferdinand ‘s address, such as his changeless inquiring and “ are you blunt mad? ” and “ set yourself in melody ” suggests that this behavior is unusual and out of control even for Ferdinand.

For Othello, it is suggested through his behavior that green-eyed monster is an unnatural happening for him. However, for Iago, it is conveyed through his address that he is better accustomed to jealousy and that he has old experience and cognition of it.

“ why do you do yourself so wild a storm? ”

“ you fly beyond your ground ”

“ paralysis ”

“ as work forces conveyed by enchantresss through the air ”

“ yes. I can be angry without this rupture ”

Othello is non the lone character who is covetous in the drama, Iago and Roderigo are seen as being covetous of Othello, which allows them to fall in together to plot his ruin. We feel sympathy in relation to Othello ‘s green-eyed monster to some extent, because we know that he was non to fault, since Iago planted thoughts of his married woman ‘s unfaithfulness into his caput. Iago on the other manus, has motiveless green-eyed monster and he has no ground to be covetous of Othello, which makes his actions seem undue. Iago ‘s green-eyed monster seems more animalistic and barbarian that Othello ‘s because it is undue, nevertheless Iago ‘s nature and response to green-eyed monster ( he shows no outward consequence of the green-eyed monster he feels, is able to incorporate himself ) Othello on the other manus is consumed by green-eyed monster and becomes a victim of it, we can physically seen this, seize with teething his lip, eyes turn overing in his caput, once more suggests that he is being controlled by some force, Desdemona besides is worried that something is incorrect, possibly because Othello has ne’er exhibited this type of behavior before, although Desdemona know that he rolls eyes something is incorrect, which suggests that he has shown this sort of behavior before.

Iago besides becomes progressively covetous of Cassio ‘s place of lieutenant. Iago ‘s monologue in act 2, scene 1, shows that his jealousy spawns from a domestic struggle in his relationship. Iago ‘doth wish a toxicant mineral gnaw my visceras ‘ , enviousness is a much more destroying feeling, devouring and toxic, it eats off at Iago and is a relentless hurting for him. A monstrous image is created, we are cognizant of Iago ‘s enviousness much like he is cognizant of it himself. ‘Nothing can or shall content my psyche boulder clay I am evened with ‘ .

It could be argued that without Iago, the audience would non see the covetous side of Othello. Othello says that without physical cogent evidence he can non go covetous, nevertheless he throws this all out of the window and he begins to do instant judgements about Desdemona.

Iago suggests in act 1, scene 3, that our way is determined by another being, Iago has humanist positions. This suggests that green-eyed monster is a power beyond our control and that it is all devouring force. Othello ‘s address becomes unnatural he starts joging uncontrollably ; his sentences begin to lose sense and significance, portray what is go oning to him indoors.

Therefore, green-eyed monster is portray