The Relationship Between Love and Hate in Othello

“The Relationship Between Love and Hate in Othello”

A.C. Bradley describes Othello as “by far the most romantic figure among Shakespeare’s heroes”(Shakespearean Tragedy, 1). This is an unusual description of a man who murders his own wife. However, Othello’s feelings of hate for Desdemona started as an overwhelming love for her when their relationship began. This transformation from love to hate also inflicted the characters Iago and Roderigo and like Othello their hatred resulted in the murder of innocent people. Roderigo’s love for Desdemona was transformed into hate towards any man that he thought was loved by her. Iago’s love for his job and his wife, Emilia changed into a destructive hatred of Cassio and Othello. As a result of their hatred Cassio, Emilia, and at the end themselves were killed. The connection between love and hate in William Shakespeare’s “Othello” is the ugly feeling of jealousy that caused such transformations. Jealousy can be described as a fear of losing something or someone that is valuable (Godfrey 2). As minor as this feeling appears to be by that definition, it can take on varying degrees of damaging behavior. Othello, Roderigo, and Iago became paralyzed by jealousy. Their thoughts, actions, and behaviors were ruled by it. Jealousy caused their inability to the act rationally. They became paranoid and unable to love. This paper will examine the jealousy that caused love to turn into hate for Roderigo, Othello, and Iago.

Roderigo begins with a small jealousy of Othello for being married to Desdemona. It isn’t until Iago makes Roderigo believe Desdemona does not really love Othello that Roderigo becomes destructive. Iago tells Roderigo, “It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moore…She must change for youth: when she is sated with his body, she will find the error of her choice” (Shakespeare, 1162). Roderigo pays Iago for this false hope that he will be with Desdemona (1162). When he believes he is getting closer to being with her, however, Iago tells him that it might not happen because Desdemona is in love with Cassio (1169-70). Roderigo is greatly angered by this and resolves to do what it takes to stop Cassio from getting Desdemona even if it means taking his life. His attempt to kill Cassio, however, is unsuccessful, and instead he is the one injured (1175). Roderigo is no longer consumed with thoughts of being with Desdemona. Instead he is consumed with feelings of hatred toward those who might have her love and attention.

Othello had a deep love for Desdemona in the beginning of the play.

In Act II Scene I he tells her, “It gives me wonder great as my content to see you here before me. O my soul’s joy!” and “ If it were now to die, ‘Twere now to be most happy” (Shakespeare 1168-69). Othello implies that his life was in chaos before he met Desdemona (1186). Othello, however, is also very insecure of Desdemona’s love for him (Mabillard 1). He doesn’t understand why she would go against her father and her society by marrying a man that is black (1). The only reason that he can come up with is that she married him for his courageous journeys (1). In Act I scene iii he explains to the Duke, “She lov’d me for the dangers I had pass’d” (Shakespeare 1157). In Act III scene ii he tries to put his doubts to rest by telling himself that Desdemona’s compassionate and virtuous nature makes it possible for her to love him (Mabillard 1). However, when Iago starts to plant ideas of her infidelity into Othello’s head the doubts resurface and and his insecurity becomes stronger than ever before (2). His insecurity about his worth to Desdemona combined with the reaffirmation from Iago of her affair creates his heated jealousy. After Iago provides the last piece of proof that Othello needs (the handkerchief in Act IV Scene i) Othello only has hatred for Desdemona. As Albert Gerard explained in his article “’Egregiously and Ass’, The Dark Side of the Moor: A View of Othello’s Mind,” if Desdemona failed him than everything failed him (5). He was dependent on her for representing truth in the world (5). She represented an ideal image of purity to him (5). In Act III scene iii he exclaims, “If she be false, O! then heaven mocks itself” (Shakespeare 1191). Since “the vision” of her is so highly valued, the possibility that she is a lie devastates Othello (5). D.R. Godfrey notes that Othello’s jealousy is strong enough to make him crazy (“Shakespeare and the Green-Eyed Monster” 2). He loses the ability to think rationally which is why he doesn’t seek the truth from those supposedly involved and the circumstantial evidence is enough, in his eyes, to justly murder Desdemona (2). Godfrey further supports Othello’s inability of rational thought by his