“Magic mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?,” the Queen proudly asked. To her despair, the mirror replied, “Famed is thy beauty, Majesty, But behold, a lovely maid I see. Alas, she is more fair than thee…” referring to Snow White. Furious, the Queen vowed to eliminate Snow White, thus resulting in the Queen feeding Snow White an apple laced with poison. The fairy tale of Snow White portrays how powerful of an influence jealousy can take upon oneself. It can be the driving force of actions one can unexpectedly commit.

Jealousy can be a dangerous state of being. It can be the motivation for actions one would have never thought one could be capable of. Othello, a character from Shakespeare’s Othello, states his evil intentions due to jealousy when he says, “Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her! Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw, To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil” (Shakespeare 3.3 541-545). After believing that his wife, Desdemona, was cheating on him with his lieutenant, he plans on murdering her. Othello’s schemes prove that he was under the influence of extreme jealousy, a state in which he never experienced before. Othello, a general known for his bravery, confidence, and intelligence, was turned into a different person now that he was overcome with jealousy, as he let his emotions take control of him.

Othello from Shakespeare’s Othello before murdering his wife

Jealousy has also had a significant historical impact as well. During the Dark Ages in Europe, honor killings took place. These were consequences for women who were accused of infidelity, but this was not always the case, according to Egyptian activist and feminist Nawal el-Saadawi: “‘Wise and smart women’ were considered sorceresses by the Church in Europe and were killed, burned or locked in hospitals for the ‘mentally ill’, Saadawi explained. The real reason for these heinous acts, she argued, was that male priests were afraid of losing power.” The roots of these evil actions all lead to jealousy, in which men were envious of the capabilities of women and the potential they had to overpower them. Men during these times masked their intentions of dominance over women with charges of adultery, but they were really just afraid of them. Jealousy has led people on the path to wrongdoing.

The sin of jealousy has also been acknowledged by Italian writer Dante in his Divine Comedy, which describes the Inferno and the Circles of Hell. These Circles of Hell depict the various punishments that sinners have to face once in Hell. One of these punishments is known as Giudecca, in which those who have betrayed their lords or benefactors are frozen in ice. Giudecca represents a connection to extreme jealousy, as treachery against those of higher power or of trust can be a result. The fact that Giudecca is one of the lowest circles of hell displays how significant jealousy can be and what it can lead to.

It is not just jealousy, but it is the potential of jealousy that makes the state of being so dangerous. The dangers of jealousy are all highlighted within Italian Renaissance literature, European history, and Shakespeare’s Othello. Jealousy is shown to be a negative trait among all sources. As Malcolm X, an advocate for civil rights, said, “Envy blinds men and makes it impossible for them to think clearly”.