1.

Much of literature explores the powerful emotions that influence people's lives and
relationships.
Write an essay based on literature you have studied in which the author examines the
effect of a powerful emotion on an individual's life. What idea(s) does the author
develop regarding powerful emotions? Support and develop your essay by providing
specific supporting details from the literature that you have chosen.
Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to
your emotions. This quote from well renowned author of the novel Eat, Pray,
Love by Elizabeth Gilbert depicts the idea that our emotional feelings
dominates us. Our feelings are a part of who we are as humans. Whether it
is emotions of joy or sadness they remain an important piece of us that
makes us whole. As humans, we are deeply bounded to our emotional
feelings. All of our actions, thoughts, and words are based on emotions. It is
our emotions that influences and guides our decisions within life. Similarly, in
the play Othello, written by William Shakespeare, the playwright conveys
the idea that emotions plays a powerful role in an individual life and their
choices through the use of character development. It is these powerful
emotions that influence and motivates us to make the choices we make
within life, whether they may be for good or for evil.
Within the play Othello, the protagonist Othello is greatly influenced by
his emotional aspects throughout the play which ultimately leads to his
downfall. In the beginning of the play Othello is depicted as a powerful and
well respected individual. However, because he allows his emotions to
influence him he is stripped away of his powers and everything he holds

dearly too. In the play, Iago manipulates Othello into believing that his dearly
beloved Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. This manipulation
causes Othello to become suspicious eventually leading him into jealousy.
His emotional jealousy is evident in which Iago warns Othello to beware, my
lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it
feeds on.(ActIII Scene III 170-171) This quotation mocks Othello to beware
of his emotional jealousy which is slowly beginning to emerge. Besides being
jealous his emotion is also based on hatred. The hatred he built up against
Desdemona. Othello is seen with emotion of disgust towards Desdemona in
which he wishes to kill her. This is evident in the quote Ay, let her rot, and
perish, and be damned to-night; for she shall not live.(IV.i.174-178) This
quotation depicts Othello revulsion towards her and his desire to end her life.
Eventually Othello hatred and jealousy overwhelms him, and he becomes
more deliberate with his abuse towards Desdemona. Further along the play,
Othello deliberate hostility towards Desdemona is evident In Act IV Scene I
where Othello hits Desdemona in front of a crowd full of people including in
front of Lodovico, Desdemona cousin. In the end Othello emotional jealousy
and hatred overpowers him and leads him to killing his wife Desdemona.
These powerful emotions influence the choices that Othello made, ultimately
leading him to murdering Desdemona.
Perhaps one of the most interesting and unique character within the play
is Honest Iago. Although he is called Honest Iago his true character is
manipulative and clever. Even despite the fact that Iago is brilliant and witty

his ultimate goal to get revenge on Othello is solely based on his emotions. It
is Iago feeling of enviousness and spite that drives him to get revenge on the
Moor. His hatred for the Moor is evident when he states I hate the Moor, And
it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets Hes done my office. This quote
demonstrates his animosity towards Othello and also illustrate how he
envious. His suspicion that Othello slept with his wife also makes him jealous,
giving him further motivation to get his revenge on Othello. The fact that the
promotion was also passed over to Cassio instead of Iago further enraged
him which supported his motivation ruin Othello. Iagos revenge is also
centered on the idea of jealousy because of Micahael Cassio and his
promotion to lieutenant. Iago confesses to Roderigo about this in which he
proclaims that Michael Cassio is inferior for the position. One Michael
Cassio, a Florentine, That never set a squadron in the fieldAnd I, of whom
his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds (Act
I Scene I 17-28) Iago covetousness is evident in which he announce that he
should have been the one promoted since he believes that Cassio is
inexperience with handling a military. Consequently, it is Iago emotion that
gave him motivation and influenced his choices to enact his revenge on
Othello.
The idea that one own powerful emotion can influence an individual
action is evident throughout the play. InOthello, Othello and Iago both
responded to the powerful feeling of jealousy and hatred. Their response
were influenced and motivated on their emotional state. As human we are

driven by emotion and it is these emotions that drive us to perform different

action based on our feelings. It is with these powerful emotions that can
influence an individual to take action.