2. Is Othello a person jealous "by nature"? Does he show any disposition to jealousy in the first two acts?
"I cannot speak enough of this content. It stops me here [in the heart], it is too much of joy. And this, and this, the greatest discords (Kissing her.) That e'er our hearts shall make!" II.i.191-194.I don't really see Othello as being jealous by nature anywhere in the first two acts. In the above quote he is basically saying that he believes his love with Desdemona will continue to grow throughout time. I probably simply did not catch the foreshadowing, but Iago's aside afterwards certainly would disagree with this statement. Judging by this and Othello's reaction to the witchcraft accusations, it remains evident to me that Othello is not naturally jealous, but rather has to be provoked. I would say that Shakespeare tried to indirectly characterize Othello as being a very calm leader.
Iago was wrongly given the epithet of being "honest" so let's just call Othello the "quick to be jealous." The only time I could sense even the slightest sign of jealousy in was in suspending Cassio, but that was really provoked by Iago's jealousy.
This is just a small reason, but I suppose it still works to help this point. Othello and Iago are foil characters. If Iago is jealous, which, let's be honest, he is (I.i.19-25), then it stands true that Othello should be the opposite of jealous, but I do not know what that word is.
We'll go with confident.
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