Did Othello have ‘the Othello Syndrome’?

Abstract

Abstract ‘The Othello Syndrome’ refers to psychoses in which delusions of infidelity predominate. This article examines the concept of delusions, the nature of Othello's jealousy in Shakespeare's play, Othello's personality and the possible relationship between his personality and his epilepsy, and compares Shakespeare's treatment of jealousy in Othello with his treatment of this theme in his other works. The article concludes that Othello was deceived rather than deluded about Desdemona's alleged infidelity and thus did not have ‘the Othello Syndrome’. The term is a misnomer and should be abandoned.