Tag Archives: jealousy

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Othello Syndrome

Othello’s syndrome it is a delusional disorder in which the person is suffering jealousy to the state that he/she is strongly  convinced that his/her partner is cheating on him/her. It is a delusional delirium where the person waste his time irrationally to try to find “evidence” to confirm his suspicions. David Enouch in the Uncommon Psychiatric Syndromes talks abOthello-Syndrome-Drayton-Theatre(210x295)out deeply about this syndrome. (David Enouch, Uncommon Psychiatric Syndromes)

The origin of this term comes from the play written by Shakespeare, Othello. Where the jealousy of Othello it is well shown at the end of the play. This jealousy it is put by Iago in Othellos mind. Iago, a great manipulator, achieves what he wants, drive Othello to his maximum madness to the point of killing her “D: let me live tonight” (5.2.100) “O: It is too late. He smothers her.” (5.2.105-106) He does not give her any chance to let her live. His jealousy drove him crazy to the point of get rid of the problem instead of trying to fix it.

This Syndrome comes from that story. And it is more common in men in his forty’s, as the case of Othello. The patient with this syndrome is looking continuously for proves to find out the infidelity to the extreme to count the other person underwear to know how many times he change in one day, as well as the changes in the position of furniture or clothes that do not suppose to be moved during the day and for this patients it is a reason of infidelity.

 

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The Painful Jealousy

Desdemona is the Antonio Muñoz’s work, oil on canvas from 1887. This picture it is expose in The Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain. I think it is one of the best pictures that reflects this play as a tragedy.

First of all, this tragedy takes place in Venetia, the colors shown in the picture are what we called venetian colors, reddish tones combine with dark yellows. The opposite colors black and white as reflect the double face of the tragedy, love and death.

This is play involve people from the upper classes of Venetia. We can notice the luxury of the clothing wear by Desdemona as the princess that Othello thought he had and as the daughter of Brabantio, the Senator. This high class it is as well shown in the velvet material of the red pillows and the complex wood furniture that are around Desdemona.

8desd_mona_1887_207_x_275_cm_museo_del_prado_Desdemona gesture shows her pain caused by the unjustified jealousy in Othello, that caused her death followed by Othello’s suicide. This jealousy was put in Othello’s head by Iago as the great manipulator of the play. “O, beware , my lord , of jealousy!” (3.3.195) “Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio” (3.3228). Othello that felt in Iago’s tramp, start entering in a fury state that does not end until his suicide. He will persecute her with questions and wrong manners causing in her a pain because she does from where Othello’s anger come from. “I am most unhappy in the loss of it” (3.4.119) As we can see in the picture, Desdemona’s depression and confusion for what Othello made her go through. As well we see her confusion and thoughts in her blank stare and her apathetic attitude.