PSYCHOANALYSIS OF THE TWO PROTAGONISTS: “OTHELLO” IN THE SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY OTHELLO AND “SHER ALAM” IN THE PASHTO FOLK TALE SHER ALAM MEMUNAI

Abstract

This study has psychoanalytically analyzed themes of jealousy and suspicion in the characters of the two protagonists, Othello, from Shakespearean tragedy Othello, and Sher Alam, from the Pashto folk tale, Sher Alam Memunai. For the purpose of psychoanalysis of the two protagonists, Freud’s pathological jealousy and other psychoanalytical approaches that are closely related to the Freudian theory have also been applied to them. While taken in the Freudian perspective of psychoanalysis, both the protagonists under discussion are termed as neurotic and narcissistic individuals who are predisposed to pathological jealousy and suspicion. This pathological jealousy leads them in a fit of fury in which they kill their chaste and innocent wives impulsively without confirming their guilt. Soon after their cruel act they realized that their wives were innocent, and that they were guilty of a heinous and inhuman act, which was a guiltless murder. The painful realization became the cause of Othello’s commission of suicide and Sher Alam’s end was more or less in a similar way, very painful.