Poor and content is rich and rich enough,
But riches fineless is as poor as winter
To him that ever fears he shall be poor.
Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!
– William Shakespeare
Othello, Act 3, Scene 3. Iago tells Othello that if you are poor and happy, you are rich. But if you are rich and always fear losing your riches, then you are poor. Iago is alluding to Othello’s jealousy, something he has put into Othello’s head. There is much irony here, as Iago adopts a consoling tone while as the same time inciting Othello’s jealousy over his wife. A simile is used to compare poverty with winter.