Jealousy rears its ugly head

A powerful emotion

The American writer Maya Angelou once said jealousy in romance is like salt in food - a little can make the flavour more tasty, but too much can spoil the pleasure. What is jealousy?

Jealousy is an emotion that mixes together feelings of insecurity, fear, sadness, anger and anxiety. We feel it when we think we might lose something like a friendship or relationship because of a rival. We also feel jealous when someone has something we want. When it gets out of control, jealousy can be very destructive.

The effects of jealousy are often important themes in novels, songs, poems, movies and plays. In William Shakespeare's play Othello, jealously ruins the lives of the main characters. 'Beware of jealousy,' warns the soldier Iago. 'It is the green-eyed monster which [mocks] the meat it feeds on.'

The Moor of Venice

Othello, the Moor of Venice is a stage drama written by the English playwright William Shakespeare in 1603. Shakespeare's plays fall into one of three categories - comedies, tragedies or histories.