Green-Eyed Monster & Green with Envy: The Color of Jealousy 💚
Green-eyed monster/green with envy - Jealousy. The green-eyed monster comes straight from Shakespeare’s Othello (3.3), where the villain Iago tells Othello, “O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” The poet’s allusion is to the green-eyed cat family who tease their prey, seeming to love and hate them at the same time. However, a greenish complexion also was associated with jealousy, and elsewhere Shakespeare wrote, “Troubled with the green sickness” (Antony and Cleopatra, 3.2). Jealousy and envy are not precisely synonyms; the first is a feeling of resentment against someone who enjoys success or an advantage, or who is a rival; the second is more a feeling of covetousness with regard to someone’s possessions or advantages. Nevertheless, the color green came to symbolize envy as well, although somewhat later.
Related and Similar Terms
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Jealousy: A feeling of resentment or suspicion, especially with regard to a rival or someone more successful.
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Envy: A longing or covetous desire for someone else’s possessions, advantages, or success.
Synonyms
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Covetousness: A strong desire to possess something that belongs to someone else.
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Resentment: Bitter indignation at having been treated unfairly.
Antonyms
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Contentment: A state of happiness and satisfaction.
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Generosity: The quality of being kind and generous.
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.” - Unknown
- “Envy is thin because it bites but never eats.” - Spanish Proverb
Proverbs
- “Comparison is the thief of joy.” - Theodore Roosevelt
- “Jealousy is a tiger that tears not only its prey but also its own raging heart.” - Unknown
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies
Literature:
- Othello by William Shakespeare
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Books:
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Songs:
- “Jealous” by Labrinth
- “Every Breath You Take” by The Police
Poetry:
- “Jealousy” by Elizabeth Bishop
Movies:
- Mean Girls (2004)
- Amadeus (1984)
“May your heart remain green with growth, not envy.” - Julian Quipster, 2023
