Othello As A Tragic Hero Essay

In the story, "Othello, the Moor of Venice" by William Shakespeare, Othello is without a doubt a tragic hero. Othello is viewed as a noble and well–respected general but, through the course of the story he a flaw. This flaw causes a dilemma, that's out of Othello's control and leads him to his downfall; making him a tragic hero. Othello expresses the elements of a tragic hero because he is well regarded, cares jealously, and has a downfall near the end of the story.

As the story commences, Othello the main character is sought as a noble and well respected general. Many greeted him with respect as people call him, noble and courageous general; even the duke respects him. Not only has that but, Othello told Iago:

Tis yet to know– which, when I know that boasting is an honour, I shall promulgate– I fetch my life and being from men of royal siege, and my demerits may speak unbonneted to as round a fortune as this that I have reach'd for know, Iago, I would not my unhoused free condition put into circumscription and confine For the sea's worth (Othello 1.2.2.)

By the quote recently provided, Othello demonstrates the characteristics of a noble and of well–respected general. Later in the story, Iago uses a handkerchief whom he obtains from his wife, Emilia; along with other methods of manipulation to sabotage Othello. Emilia was able to...show more content...

He goes from being a noble and well–respected general to becoming manipulated puppet. Like all hero's, Othello had a weakness and this was, him getting jealous. Iago took advantage of this through the story and build up the jealousy inside helpless Othello. Iago's cruel, sick mind games eventually wreaked havoc upon, Othello. Consumed by jealousy, Othello's flaw lead him to take actions into his own hand and killing his beloved wife Desdemona. The fact, that Othello allowed Iago to manipulate him into killing his precious, beloved wife was what contributed to Othello's Get more content

Most people that are filled with pride never consider themselves to be truly prideful until they come to face the consequences of that fatal flaw. A fatal flaw prominently consists in someone known as a tragic hero: a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her downfall. There are many qualities that make a tragic hero and in the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the premise of a tragic hero is carried throughout the main character, Othello, who is internally committed to his own hubris: pride and in time is revealed to be the tragic hero of the play. Othello's hubris is the main contributor in proving him to be a believable tragic hero. To step back a bit, the definition of a tragic hero is defined by Greek philosopher, Aristotle. The hero of thetragedy, Aristotle suggests, must elicit in the audience a sense of fear. Also, the focus of the tragic hero should not be the change of fortune from bad to good, but reversely, from good to bad; the hero's fall is not pure...show more content...

Othello knows that killing his wife is wrong even before he did it by saying "Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men" (5.2.6) In doing all of these compassionate and benevolent acts, Othello shows his desire to help Desdemona, despite killing her. His love is so deep for her that he doesn't want her to live her life being called a whore and destroying the hearts of other men. A deep inner pain, manifested as rage, is tearing him apart on the inside. Othello goes on to list the hardships he would have gone through for his beloved wife but the one thing he can't endure is having his heart broken, his love cruelly discarded. Ultimately, Othello recognizes his act and still commits the crime and then kills himself after saying "I kiss'd thee ere I kill'd thee: no way but this; Killing myself, to die upon a kiss."

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Shakespeare's play, "Othello, the Moor of Venice," is a powerful example of a tragedy and it's main character, Othello, is an excellent illustration of what Aristotle constitutes as a tragic hero. The play imitates life through basic human emotions such as jealousy and rage. In addition, Othello is far from being a perfect character – another quality that meets Aristotle's requirements.Othello also matches Aristotle's ideas of tragic hero because our Othello realizes the error of his ways, causing us to feel sympathy for him. If we carefully examine the third scene in the third act, we can see how Othello fits into Aristotle's definition of tragic hero. This passage reveals how much Othello has deteriorated as far as his ability to reason...show more content...

The highly emotional scenes in Othello give the audience a means of catharsis for the audience. It is necessary for this to transpire within a tragedy . H.A. Kelly writes in his book "Ideas And forms Of Tragedy From Aristotle To The Middle Ages" that "the representation generates certain passions in souls that moderate themselves, to pitying or fearing." The reader connects with the powerful emotions of sadness in the story. The overwhelming feelings allow the reader to let out the suppressed feelings in a way that is allegedly therapeutic. Furthermore, Professor W.A. Neilson of Harvard University says "This is in part due to the splendor of its poetry, the absorbing nature of the plot, and the vividness of the drawing of characters who marvelously combine individuality with a universal and typical quality that makes them appeal to people of all kinds and races." In the tragic story of Othello and Desdemona, pain and heartache is a paramount emotion from the beginning through to the end of the play. For example, the story begins with Iago and Roderigo enacting their plan to tell Desdemona's unknowing father, Brabantio, of her marriage to Othello. Brabantio then becomes irate with emotions of anger and betrayal. In scene III, he expresses these emotions while addressing the Duke and a handful of senators by saying "She is abused, stol'n from me and corrupted." (Shakespeare) The reader can connect and Get

Othello As A Tragic Hero

Known as a talented, noble general throughout all of Venice, Othello is transformed into a crazy, senseless man. William Shakespeare uses the idea of a tragic hero in almost all of his dramas. A tragic hero can be described as a person of high status who is neither completely good nor completely evil, possesses a tragic flaw, and leaves this flaw to be the reason for his/her downfall. Othello believes he can trust one of his soldiers, Iago, who is determined to seek revenge on Othello for not promoting him to be a lieutenant. Othello’s temper, insecurities, and jealousy are what causes his decline of his social and mental status. Othello can be described as a tragic hero because he is a well–known general of high status, possesses tragic flaws of insecurity, jealousy, and easily–triggered anger, and allows these flaws to lead to his own decline, as well as death. From the beginning of Act 1, Othello is referred to as “general”, showing the other characters’ respect for him. In his analysis of Othello, Berthoud says how Shakespeare presents Othello as “an Othello whose occupation involves the upholding of order and justice” (Berthoud). Cassio talks to Othello and reveals to him how the people of Venice will need Othello to go to Cyprus and defeat the Turkish fleet. However, when he is being accused of placing some sort of voodoo or poison on Desdemona, Othello states, “Rude am I in my speech/ And little

There is no denying that Shakespeare is a definitive playwright. He has presented us with classic works that have set the precedent for drama and the theatre. Among Shakespeare's more notable plays are his tragedies. In the tragedy his protagonists are often given flaws in their character and hence, are suitably named tragic heroes. The downfall of these protagonists is often a result of their own character flaws and unfortunately, they suffer a doomed and unhappy ending. While the tragic hero is flawed they must also be honorable and worthy of the audience's understanding and sympathy. On a quest for righteousness the tragic hero often goes through immense suffering which is why the audience can feel bad for him. For the most...show more content...

The traits of the tragic hero lead the audience to feel compassion for the helpless victim. However, for Othello this is not the case. His demise was of his own doing. The moment he showed violence towards Desdemona, the audience lost interest in comforting Othello. Instead, they blame him for his own ultimate ruin. It is hard for an audience to sympathize with anger and Othello has given them much to handle. However, they still need to release the negative feelings that have built up over the culmination of the play. Unfortunately, for Othello's audience that catharsis will not happen. On the other hand, it does happen for Othello. Othello's release happens when he lashes out at his wife, Desdemona. Othello has chosen others over the one he promised to love and protect. Here we can see his quest for vengeance is so strong that he loses any comfort from the hearers:

Now do I see 'tis true. Look here, Iago, All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven. 'Tis gone. Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell! Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught, For 'tis of aspics' tongues! (III. III, 20)

This vicious search for revenge does not bode well for Othello. The core of Shakespeare's tragedies is death. However, according to Pr. Lhousain Simour this cannot be just any death. "A tale of suffering and calamity conducting to a disastrous ending; a tale of a man worn to death on

In what ways does Shakespeare present Othello as a typical tragic hero?

Professedly, Shakespeare appears to present Othello as tragic hero, exposing his tragic flaw, which consequently leads to his downfall, through his use of language, structure and form. It could be argued 'Othello' appears to conform to Aristotle's principles oftragedy, of the noble protagonist who undergoes perpetia and endures suffering, resulting in his ultimate downfall due to harmatia, which he eventually realises, providing catharsis for the audience. However, upon further study, such devices may be interpreted to provide a different perception of the protagonist, as more of an atypical victim, exposed to the harsh reality of the society he longs to fit into,...show more content...

Shakespeare presents this through heavy use of fragmented speech and repetition: "Lie with her? Lie on her...Handkercheif–confessions–handkerchief!". Not only does this highlight Othello's maddening state, it also demonstrates his insecurity and disbelief as he is constantly questioning himself, losing control. He makes brash decisions and crude outbursts of how he will "tear [Desdemona] apart" and "chop her into messes". In doing this Shakespeare is enabled to present Othello as returning to his basic, animalistic sinful state, losing stature and composure and drawing closer to his ultimate decline, but an alternative view would be to see Othello's insecurity as his downfall. Perhaps this so called "trust" he has placed in Iago is not because he is the "faultless hero" described by Bradley, but rather someone whose trust is neither "strong" nor "absolute!, as Leavis claims. Maybe it is just a ploy to keep the reputation he has sent his entire life building intact. This suggests that, rather than a hero, he is in fact a selfish character motivated by power and a need for acceptance rather than love. In Act 3, he speaks of being "haply black", and his insecurities are revealed as he believes he is inarticulate, barbaric and lacking "those soft parts of conversation...that clamberers have". Instead of his trusting nature and jealousy being his harmatia, something Desdemona believes the "sun

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A tragic hero is a positive character that has his or her own flaw which eventually leads to his or her death. Death can be caused by actions at the hands of other individuals, or the protagonist himself. An example of a tragic hero is Odysseus and Othello. In the Odyssey, Odysseus' tragic flaw is his hubris. His unwavering confidence and pride is the reason why the gods punish Odysseus and as a result he does not return home for ten years. Othello 's tragic flaw is his jealousy. Throughout the storyIago begins to help influence Othello's envy to where he takes his wife 's life as well as his own. His enviousness is due to his trust in "honest Iago" who plants the seed of jealousy to which it cultivated until Othello could not be prevented. In Othello, Othello is the tragic hero and has his own flaw which leads to Othello's demise.

Othello's tragic flaw lies beneath his personality and does not show unless influenced. At this time, Othello is more concerned with the battle against the Turks; therefore Iago does not get the chance to talk to Othello alone. When given the opportunity, Iago looks for ways to help convince Othello of Desdemona and Cassio's love with one another. Othello has not taken notice of his jealousy as he has not been put into the predicament of being jealous, and he has no reason to be jealous. Amongst his peers, Othello is respected for his work in the army, and Othello is solely focused on his work as a general and is not concerned Get

Othello is a tragic hero because of his greatnesses and his weaknesses. He is a noble man who possesses all the qualities of a military leader, which he is. He has control over himself and shows courage as well as dignity. Just as Othello is a virtuous man there are some flaws within him, these flaws complete him ff as a tragic hero. Othello is often blinded by trust and can not see a person for who they really are. He trusts the people around him even when they mean to afflict harm upon him. Through this, it can be seen why Othello is one of the most tragic hero out of all the characters from Shakespeare's many plays.

To begin with, Othello is a graceful man with a valiant personality which draws people near. Although he is known...show more content...

Even in the toughest of times, he keeps his anger under control. "I will a round unvarnished tale deliver of my whole course of love – what drugs, what charms, what conjuration, and what mighty magic (for such proceeding and charged withal) I won his daughter" (Act 1, scene 3, 90–94)

As an example. this shows how Othello deals with style and grace under fire, when accused of witchcraft by marrying Desdemona. Othello neither yells nor screams, but explains in a way that captivates his audience and enhances the emotions in the play.

Aside from the greatnesses there also are some flaws. With Othello being a military leader for most of his life, trusting another military friend would be common and therefore Othello had no reason to not trust iago. So it can be said that Othello has tragic weaknesses, one being too trustworthy. Many times Othello does not see the evil acts of iago. He is used to dealing with military people on the battlefield, where you put your life in the hands of others. In this situation trust is very important. Othello says that iago is a man of honor and trust and therefore has no reason to doubt his honesty.

Likewise another weakness of Othello's would be that he is a man who gets confused easily and cannot judge right from wrong. This can be seen when

Othello: The Tragic Hero

In William Shakespeare's Othello, Othello is the tragic hero. He is a character of high stature who is destroyed by his surroundings, his own actions, and his fate. His destruction is essentially precipitated by his own actions, as well as by the actions of the characters surrounding him. The tragedy of Othello is not a fault of a single villain, but is rather a consequence of a wide range of feelings, judgments and misjudgments, and attempts for personal justification exhibited by the characters. Othello is first shown as a hero of war and a man of great pride and courage. As the play continues, his character begins to deteriorate and become less noble. Chronologically through the play, Othello's character...show more content...

The power shown here is quite astounding.

The nature of Othello's character is of a dark man. Not only because he is black, but also because his whole person is very mysterious. He is mysterious in that he believes there is magic everywhere. With this dark side, he is also very outgoing, and not very bright. He is not observant and the schemes of Iago work well on him. For all the dangers and encounters he has been involved in, this man is still naive of the corruptness of other individuals. Othello has a trusting nature in which he gives it all. He put all his trust in Iago during times of war and during Othello's marriage to Desdemona. Everyone considered Iago as honest, and it would be out of character for Othello to believe any different. For example, Othello had told Duke:

"So please your grace, my ancient; A man he is of honesty and trust. To his conveyance I assign my wife, with what else needful your good grace shall think, To be sent after me" (I, iii, lines 306–310).

Even if Othello was not as trusting or corrupt, he still would not realize Iago was lying. Othello commits his first act of violence against Desdemona by hitting her. This shows now Othello's tragic flaw. He made himself susceptible to Iago and the jealousy within him begins to lead to the end of others. By his actions, Othello has isolated himself from everyone except Iago. This gives Iago the perfect opportunity to complete his course of action. Finally, Othello's breakdown

Looking at Othello as a Tragic Hero

"Killing myself, to die upon a kiss."

Othello's death brings a sense of justice to the play, one of the main forms and conventions of a tragedy. But if 'Othello' is a tragedy then Othello must be a tragic hero.

Traditionally atragedy follows the downfall of an individual who is usually high up in society (such as a king). This downfall is triggered by a fatal flaw in the tragic hero's character. During the play the audience must have many different feelings towards the hero, from respect to anger and maybe even pity. These may also turn to terror, as people close to the hero are hurt. Fate is seen to be predetermined and ensures that justice is seen to...show more content...

Their use of racial comments such as "Thick–lips" and "Old black ram" imply that a black man is not a common sight especially of such a high rank. These racist images of Othello do not provide very good pictures for the readers and almost turn us against him. However in the next scene a very different version of Othello is shown.

Othello is seen to be "Hotly called for" by the duke leading us to believe that he is a very important person. He commands respect from noble men like Montano and the Duke, suggesting that Othello is a noble man.

Shakespeare then continues to build Othello up. We are shown how many people care for and respect the moor, for example when Othello is sailing to Cyprus Montano, Cassio and Desdemona are all concerned for his safety during the storm. When Cassio reaches the shore he begs the heavens to "Give him defence against the elements" implying his wish for Othello to arrive safely. This shows that many people look up to him and respect him.

From this we can see that Othello is an honourable and respected man. He can sort out problems quickly and efficiently and he is confident that his services to Venice "shall out–tongue his complaints." He believes that the Duke will be on his side because of his rank, so it does not matter

Jealously, Often this trait takes people over, controls their thoughts and persuades them to do stupid things. William Shakespeare portrayed this flaw extremly well in the play Othello. IN the play, Othello, is a character who seems almost perfect, but his flaw jealousy is brought out but his trusted companion Iago. This trait makes Othello the tragic hero due to the fact that he sacrifices his life in good name. When being accused of "witchcraft" by Barbantio ( Desdemonas father) and senators he remains in control and courageous. " Most potent, grave, and reverend signors....

Rude I am in speech And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace"...show more content... To be suspected, framed to make women false The Moor is a free and open nature That thinks men honest, but that seem to be so, And will as tenderly be led by th' nose As asses are." (Iago.1.3.440–445)

This quote shows that Iago thinks that Othello he treats women unkindly and is an ass because he is extremly gullable.

In act 3, Othellos jealousy is seen being brought on by Iago. He tells Othello that

Desdemona is unfaithful to him, and that she is cheating on him with Cassio, his lieutenant. "Did Michael Cassio ... Burn like the mines if sulfur".

(Iago&Othello3.3.105–337) This quote basically shows Iago covinving Othello that his wife is "strumpeting" with Cassio. Also in act 3 Iagos antagonistic side shows indefinitely when his wife (Emilia) brings him

Desdemonas handkerchief , but doesn't know why he wants it. Iago winds up placing it in

Cassios room to frame him. Later on Iago tells Othello that he saw Cassio with the handkerchief

" Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief spotted with strawberries in your wives hand? ... Damn her, lewd minx

O damn her, Damn her "

(3.3. 493–542)

In acts 4 and 5 the play comes to ends with deception, truth, and death. A lot of death. Act four starts out with Iago telling Othello that Desdemona and Cassio have been sleeping together. Othello gets enraged and wants to kill her with poison, but Iago

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William Shakespeare, born in the year 1564, is often considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, writer in the English language. His works range from ingenious poems, such as Fear No More, to plays, such as The Tragedy of Othello. In The Tragedy of Othello, Shakespeare details the story of a celebrated military hero who falls victim to the machinations of a conniving villain who goes by the name of Iago. In his play, he portraysOthello like a tragic hero, a type of literary character. A tragic hero has many characteristics, 3 of them being that they must have an error in judgement, they must have a reversal of fortune, and they must recognize that the reversal of fortune was brought about by their own actions. Furthermore, they must also have a fatal flaw, that eventually leads to their downfall. Othello demonstrates all of these characteristics in the play, proving him to be a tragic hero. Othello makes an error in judgement, which leads to his change in fortune, and later realizes that his actions are what caused said change in fortune. Othello is a military hero, widely respected and admired by most. Even his enemies have a grudging respect for him. He has taken the loveliest lady as his bride, and has a seemingly great life. He is seen as a very good man, as proven by the words of the Duke of Venice: "..If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son in law is far more fair than black."(Page 47, Line 285–286). Despite all this, Othello does have a fatal

Superman is one of the best known heroes in history, he is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, well; he is a hero. While the definition of the word hero might be someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities, it is not always this way for all heroes. Tragic Heroes are often literary characters who make a judgment error that inevitably leads to their own destruction. These heroes often endure something known as a tragic or fatal flaw leading to their downfall. Shakespeare's Othello being a well know tragic hero. Othello starts off in the streets of Venice, he grew to be a general solider, and the best one at that. In this play, he finds love with a noble, Desdemona, but is later misguided into thinking wrongly of her by his friend, Iago. Othello is shown to be a Great Man, with his biggest weakness being trust, he is led to have a major downfall as a tragic hero. While

Othello shows greatness and strength as a hero should, he posses the traits of jealousy and naivetГ© making him a tragic hero. His flaws bringing him to his downfall are known as peripeteia. As Othello is seen to be very confident in the beginning of the...show more content... "You can only be jealous of someone who has something you think you ought to have yourself". This quote directly applying to Othello. He grew to be so jealous because he though Cassio had Desdemona, who he thought was his. He was overpowered by his jealousy which was fueled by Iago. Ironically, Iago warns Othello about jealousy, "O, beware, my lord of jealousy, it is the green–ey'd monster which doth mock, the meat it feeds on". Jealousy is ugly, the more Othello grew to be jealous, the more ugly he became and the more consumed he was by it. This is another element making Othello such a tragic hero, he listened to the advice of the person who was making him jealous, making him into the

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Shakespeare's play Othello exhibits Othello's traits of a tragic hero. A respected general at the start of the story, Othello falls into a state of ruin at the end as a result of his flaws. His character begins to deteriorate and become less noble. These unfortunate sequence of events are taken place through Othello's foolishness and Iago's evil plans which he easily falls victim to. The play is a tragedy, and it shows the protagonist fall which causes an unnatural transformation in his character. Able to sway people with his articulate way of speech, Othello is rational, a man with immense pride and courage, who is highly respected through the first parts of the play. He is confident about the military work he does as he even goes on to state that his services "shall out–tongue [Brabantio's] complaints," (1.2.19) showing his confidence in himself. He also exhibits his confidence through his love. His love for Desdemona is never ending and he truly cares for her. He is "one not easily jealous"...show more content...

He finds it a detriment, that has brought him down; Iago seized the chance and used Othello's love to bring himself benefits. He even contemplates murder which further emphasizes the drastic change in Othellois his sudden change in morals and his standing on many issues. This is what he claims to the Senate: that he loves Desdemona, but was involved in no witchcraft. However, when Iago plants the seeds of Desdemona?s betrayal in Othello?s mind, he takes it in immediately. He sentences the woman he loves to death without question. He is enraged much as Brabantio was, but he has no–one to calm him. Here his background and experiences of savagery have shown their effect. He has dispensed of his polite language and dignity in the transformation, stripped of his outer civilized character, leaving just the animalistic core, venting his raw emotions offensive and unsophisticated

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Tragedy is characterized as a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffer sorrow, especially as a result of tragic flaw. This tragedy is innate to the main character. The tragic hero must be honorable, having a high stature than most men, must have a tragic flaw and this flaw must play as essential part in his defeat. In William Shakespeare's Othello, Othello is a tragic hero. Othello is a honorable man and a general in Cyprus. He has several people under his command. Cassio is his lieutenant and Iago is his ancient. Othello's tragic flaw is gullibility. Othello trust Iago's words and he doesn't pay consideration on anyone around him. As the play proceeds, Iago continually taints the mind of Othello; he...show more content...

Othello was first performed by the King's Men at the court of King James 1 on November 1, 1604.Shakespeare borrowed freely from other sources for his plays. It is the manner in which he traces his character which transforms his sources so exquisitely. His concept of tragedy is partly Greek and partly his hero through the arousing of pity and fear. The Greek concept of a tragic hero is a noble character suffering for no fault of his own, due to a malevolent God. Though destiny plays a distinct part in Shakespearean tragedies as well, the tragic catastrophe occurs due to a flaw in hero's character. Othello is a tragic hero. However, the theme of the play revolves more around Iago than Othello. From the very beginning, Othello is an outsider in the public arena. He is a Moor, an outsider and a black man from North Africa and is consequently victimized in an all–white society. However, his expertise as a pioneer and a military general make him a reputed personality to the Venetian government. Before all else, he is generally popular and loved among his solider and the population of Venice. There are three characters specifically that despise him: Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio. Each has his own purpose behind despising Othello and each will play a role in his Get

Othello: The Moor of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare written on1603. Othello is a tragic hero like Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear. Shakespeare presumably composed Othello after Hamlet. Othello, who secretly married Desdemona at the opening of play, leaves Venice to charge the Venetian armed forces in Cyprus. Whenever Desdemona and Cassio join Othello in Cyprus, the deceitful Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him with Cassio. Othello murdered Desdemona in anger. Iago's wife, Emilia, then reveals that Desdemona's affair was created story of Iago. Iago murdered Emilia and Othello attempts suicide. Cassio rules Cyprus and Iago's punishment is left for Cassio to choose. AIM

My topic name is "In–depth analysis...show more content...

The first is his hot–headed and passionate nature. "My blood begins my safer guides to rule / And passion / having my best judgment collide / Assays to lead the way" (Act2 Scene3; line no. 164–166). Whenever he is in anger or being emotional, he stops thinking and starts feeling. He takes hasty decisions that he regrets after sometime when he stops to think about it. For example, he fires on Cassio while drunk without knowing the full story. That then leads us to his next imperfection, which is unnecessary pride and a distraction with notoriety. When he makes a mistake, he is too proud to correct it and to admit that he was wrong. Iago takes advantage of Othello's stubborn character and uses them to destroy all that precious for Othello. He succeeds in convincing Othello that his wife is having love affair with Cassio. He encourage Othello's pride by flattering him and convinces that decisions are taken by him are always

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To what extent can Othello be considered a 'tragic hero'?

The extent of which Othello is a tragic hero has been open to much debate; the basis on which he is judged falls to Aristotle's established view of the crucial elements that distinguish whether a person is truly tragic. According to Aristotle, a tragic protagonist is a nobleman or person from high status, who contributes to his own demise and illustrates a flaw or weakness in judgment. The tragic protagonist must make a fall from a high state of being to a low state or death. The tragic hero's downfall, said Aristotle, was brought upon by some error of judgement. Aristotle's theory is not the final word on tragedy, however it can support in pinpointing the pivotal traits in...show more content...

The quote exposes Othello as being unworthy of his noble title and reputation of being trustworthy and moral, both domestically and in profession as a soldier.

Striking a woman–even in the modern society– is attached with weakness and cowardice; so for Othello to publically humiliate and harm Desdemona, drastically lessens his argument of being a tragic hero and makes him somewhat ignoble. Desdemona's innocent references to Cassio goad Othello until he snaps and strikes her. When she says she is "glad" that Othello has been ordered to Venice and that Cassio will be in charge of Cyprus, he can't take anymore. The physical striking of Desdemona was not staged until the late 19th century by the actor Tommaso Salvini. The striking of Desdemona would have evoked strong feelings from a Jacobean audience. Unlike Othello, Lodovico is a true gentleman and his quote "This would not be believed in Venice!" emphasises the monstrosity of Othello's action. This particular scene disproves Bradley's theory that Othello is "the most romantic figure among Shakespeare's heroes".

Both Macbeth and Othello are prominent Jacobean tragedies that William Shakespeare created with notable tragic protagonists. The play Macbeth is an excellent work that closely follows Aristotle's norms. Macbeth is a brave warrior in King Duncan's Army who compromises his honour and neglects his moral responsibilities in the attainment of power and position which

Othello (The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice) is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603. Shakespeare based the play on a story "of the Unfaithfulness of Husbands and Wives." The story revolves around its two central characters: Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army and Iago, his unfaithful ensign. This play has withstood the test of time, and because of its lasting themes of racism, love, jealousy, betrayal, revenge and repentance, it is still preformed and appreciated by many until this day. Jealousy is the heart of this play. At the beginning of the play, we can see jealousy has twisted Iago just as badly as it will eventually warp and corrupt Othello. Apparently once a good and honest soldier, Iago allows jealousy to lead him down a dark path from which he does not or cannot turn back.

As defined by Aristotle, Othello does fit the description of atragic hero. Aristotle's definition of the tragic hero is: "a [great] man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake."

Tragedydepicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of hubris (defined as excessive pride or self–confidence), fate, and the will of the gods. In our Textbook, they list Aristotle's three tragic flaws as follows: he must be a person of high estate, he must fall from that position into unhappiness, and his Get more content

Othello: The Tragic Hero in Shakespeare's Play

A tragic hero is a noble and virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy, destined for downfall, suffering and defeat. The character has a fatal flaw, with combined external forces brings on a tragedy. In William Shakespeare's play, Othello, it is a play of revenge, anger, jealousy, heartbreak and remorse. Set in the streets of Venice and Cyprus,Othello is the general of the Venetian army, and chose Cassio to be his lieutenant, withIago who was appointed to Othello's ancient was very angry about this decision. Iago thinks he deserved the role of lieutenant and decides to seek revenge against Othello. Iago decides to put fake ideas of Desdemona, Othello's wife, and Cassio's affair into his head. Othello whose flawswho has flaws is overcome with these thoughts that he goes mad with jealousy and ends up killing Desdemona with his bare hands. Afterwards, the truth comes out that it was Iago who made up these false assumptions, Othello is overcome with misery but realizes it was his fault, and at the end takes his own life. Othello became a tragic hero by having noble characteristics but also having deadly flaws, having his flaws played on by external forces which leads him to commit an irreversible mistake, showing remorse over his crimes and finally dying as a noble man. Othello rose to be a great and highly respected general, but through a series of fatal events met his ultimate downfall, effectively becoming a Shakespearean tragic hero. Throughout the story, Othello Get more content

Most hero will arise what there called for, like the little things or things they done that people will remember forever in that case, in the book othello, a tragic hero is a character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his destruction because of othello noble traits, his tragic flaws, and his tragic downfall. I think for someone to be a tragic hero, they must first be a noble character to begin with. There are many undesirable traits in othello, like his jealousy and gullibility but these problems and his tragic flaw is his insecurities. His jealousy nature leads him to kill the woman he has ever loved. He had everything going for him a beautiful wife however, they have flaw that sparks their downfall. Othello trusts the Get