The smallest drop of jealousy can implant toxic thoughts that can manipulate their mental state and can change a person’s. It can greatly harm and influence an individual’s decision and also affect the environment that surrounds them. Jealousy is displayed within the play Othello, written by William Shakespeare and the modern day adaptation O, directed by Tim Blake Nelson, where characters are deceived and perform unethical tasks under the strong influence of jealousy. The unavoidable thought of jealousy can be used to drive a person’s motive, develop the flow of a plot and alter the way a person can portray.

Othello’s Iago and O’s counterpart Hugo, are both almost identical and are driven purely by the feeling of jealousy to create the downfall of Othello/Odin. The outcome of the decisions that Iago and Hugo made, heavily changed the flow of the plot and are responsible for the events that occur within the play and film. Iago’s first decision was the beginning of his plan to overthrow Cassio in lieutenancy and was evident when he said,

“For, sir,

It is as sure as you are Roderigo,

Were I the Moor I would not be Iago.

In following him, I follow but myself.

Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,

But seeming so for my particular end.

For when my outward action doth demonstrate

The native act and figure of my heart

In compliment extern, ’tis not long after

But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve

For daws to peck at. I am not what I am.”(1.1.61-71). The quote above states what Iago will hide his true intentions and keep them within himself while being by Othello’s side, but at the same time act as someone that differs from everyone’s perspective and make decisions that can ruin the lives of everyone around him. The death of Othello, Emilia, Roderigo, and Desdemona were all caused by Iago’s actions and his plan to reach his ultimate goal. O’s version of Iago, Hugo, followed the same characterization of Iago and had the same intentions but instead, he feels robbed when Odin shared his M.V.P award with Micheal instead of him. Hugo states his feelings when he states, “All my life I have always wanted to fly. I always wanted to live like a hawk. I know you’re not supposed to be jealous of anything, but… to take flight, to soar above everything and everyone, now that’s living. But a hawk is no good around normal birds. It can’t fit in. Even though all the other birds probably wanna be hawks; they hate him for what they can’t be. Proud. Powerful. Determined. Dark. Odin is a hawk. He soars above us. He can fly. One of these days, everyone’s gonna pay attention to me. Because I’m gonna fly too.” (Nelson, O, Hugo). This quote explains the jealousy Hugo has towards Odin and how he is the “hawk” that grabs all the attention around him. Hugo desired to obtain that same attention, but he achieves it by making unethical decisions. In the same manner, as Iago’s plan, Hugo tries to use deception against Othello and change his perspective on Micheal. The decisions done by Hugo and Iago made had the same repercussions and caused the death of Othello, Emily, Rodger, and Desi. All in all, the decisions Iago and Hugo under the influence of jealousy had helped create development within the plot and were responsible for most of the events that had occurred within the film and play.