Green with envy is an English statement to show some jealousy to another's progress, an eye-illness towards someone. Somehow, the colour 'green' is now associate with envious and not everyone knows the reason. Why this colour of nature have this feeling?
Let me tell you.
The Origins
In English speaking cultures, green is associated with envy and jealousy. It is believed that the 'green with envy' statement was derived from William Shakespeare's finest work, Othello. In Othello, Iago (the other character) warns Othello (the main character):
"Beware my lord, of jealousy;/it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on..." (It was inspired by a cat who plays with its prey)
Meanwhile, in Anthony and Cleopatra:
"Lepidus, since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled with the green sickness..." (the green sickness is being envy)
As well as in The Merchant of Venice:
Portia states, "How all the other passions fleet to air, as doubtful thoughts and rash embraced despair and shuddering fear and green-eyed jealousy!"
The Tales
During childhood, we were often listening to some tales that full of envy. Sometimes we don't understand why those tales shared the same themes; envy and jealousy. The biggest envious in tales is in Snow White as the step mother keeps talking to her mirror and get insane.
There was a good tale, or a religion-tale about Cain and Abel in the Bible, or Habil and Qabil in Quran. Both religions, Christianity and Islam shared the main topic that envy and jealousy leads to destruction and it fulls of green sickness (which reminds me about my puke during Ramadhan five years ago and the colour was so green). Oh, remember about the cloth of Princess Fiona in Shrek and Merida's mother in Brave movie? And how about the green apple that caused Theodora in Oz movie turns into a green witch?
Envy is the silent disease, it grows into an illness in your heart and mind, and it whispers into your emotion as the jealousy becomes the bubonic plague, and it spreads to kill.
The Stories
There were so many stories that relates to the 'green' statement, like how the green ghost becomes a phenomenon in Europe, especially in UK, Ireland and Scotland and why the colour of ghost indicates the hidden story which it leads to the same thing- envy?
At Fyvie Castle, Scotland, there was an old and famous story about Dame Lillias feels envy about her husband's new lover and how cruel her husband was by letting her starve to death so he can remarry again. What an animal he is. This is one of example that she was full in green against his lover but in the end, she's dead.
The other one is about Lady Jean Drummond. Her story is well-known. Back to 14th century at Newton Castle, Blairgowrie, Scotland, Lady Jean Drummond was desperately in love with her man, a local laird. At first, they're both happy. And then, he got distracted by another woman which makes her jealous. So, she did everything she can to win him back. She tried her very best to look attractive but failed. So, she spent her time, singing her sad song about her lost love. Until one day, a local witch told her about the witchin' claith o' green- the witch ingredients made from a churchyard's grass, rowan-tree's branch from the gallow-knowe and a plaited reed as a binder. Later, she wait at the Corbie Stone and wondering about the magic. As far as she could remember, she heard a laughter, she feels a strange sensation and then she fell asleep. When she awoke at the dawn, she was dressed all in green. With her new green dress, she managed to get her man back, and prepared for a wedding ceremony. However, her hand suddenly get cold, she let out her scream, fell to the ground and died. Envy caused her death.
References:
WiseGeek's post: Green with envy
Wikipedia: Envy
Melodygodfred: Color Expression
HubPages: The Colour of Ghosts
Ghosts (The Story of Lady Jean Drummond), edited by Morven Eldritch in 2005. Published by Geddes & Grosset.
#tmg2013
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