The play Othello by William Shakespeare is a tragedy about love going bad. It starts with Othello and Desdemona's elopement as it rises to the climax where Iago first plants the idea of Desdemona's affair with Cassio into Othello's head. From the climax, the play spirals down to denouement resolution, where many including Desdemona and Othello are killed. Othello is clearly about how jealousy torments and mocks its prey as we see in, "It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on," (3.3.179-8) which shows us that the tragic outcome is mostly Othello's fault. .
In Act III Scene III, Iago delivers one of his most profound speeches warning Othello about the danger and power of jealousy. Iago describes jealousy as a monster and further paints this image by saying "Which doth mock the meat it feeds on," (3.3.179-8) depicting jealousy as tormenting the souls of the "meat" it devours. Iago explains that the "cuckold," the man who knows his wife is untrue, can live in happiness because he no longer loves his wife. On the other hand, the man who is filled with jealousy, the man "Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet fondly loves," (3.3.183) is doomed to count the "damned minutes," until he knows the truth. This speech foreshadows Othello's tragic end as he falls victim to the claws of the "green-eyed monster." .
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Othello is mostly to blame for the tragic ending of the play. Othello's jealousy grows as the play progresses and has more of an affect on his actions. Soon after being introduced to the possibility of Desdemona being untrue, Othello states, "I"ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove," (3.3.204) claiming that he will not buy into such a foolish thing as jealousy. It becomes clear that this is nothing more than denial of the truth just a short time later when Othello says, "Your napkin is too little. Let it alone. Come, I"ll go in with you" (3.3.303-4). Othello is already showing signs of being irritated and short tempered with Desdemona.
