Paper
Othello: Othello A Tragic Hero
If one reads Shakespeare’s Othello, they can come to the conclusion that
it might be one of the his most tragic plays ever written by Shakespeare. Romeo
and Juliet, is probably the most famous of his tragic plays, but Othello, has
characteristics that, I think make it even more tragic then his other plays, and
therefore for that reason, you can say that Othello is the most tragic hero.
Othello is a noble man, one who has grace with the ladies but also
possesses all the virtues of a military leader that he is. He is a general that
is experienced in battle. He has shown that he is reliable and well known in
the military and is well respected. His valiant personality, is what draws
people to him, as it does for Desdemona. The senators value him and hear what
he says when he speaks. This is shown here by one of the senators. “Here comes
Barbantio and the valiant Moor”, (Act I scene 3, 47) . This is an example of
the many comments which shows Othello’s character and personality as a person
and an officer. They say he is one of the great leaders.
Not only does he posses great character and courage, but also dignity.
He keeps his control even when he is being accused of witchcraft during the
first encounter with the senators when Desdemona’s father confronts him about
see his daughter.
“Most potent, grave, and reverend signors,
My very noble and approved good masters;
That I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter,
It is most true; true I have married her.
The very head and front of my offending
Hath the extent, no more. Rude I am in my speech,
And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace;”
(I, iii, 91)
This is an example of how Othello deals with style and grace under fire,
when he is accused of witch craft, by marrying Desdemona. He neither, yells or
screams, but explains in a manner that captivates his audience, and draws them
in to listen.
A major sign that Othello shows his rage and jealousy occurs in Act III,
scene 3, when Iago is talking with Othello and tells him that Desdemona is a
whore. Othello’s breakdown, almost to choke Iago, simply asks Iago
“Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore, Be sure if
it. Give me the ocular proof. Or by the worth of mine
eternal soul, thou hadst been better have been born a dog.
Than answer my waked wrath.” (Act III, scene 3)
This a point in the play where Iago starts unveil his malicious plan.
It makes Othello react, in a manner that he usually does not. Othello has many
qualities that contribute to his overall worth. One being his trustfulness.
At this point in time, Othello, says that Iago is a man of honor and trust, and
therefore has no reason not to distrust him.
Many times Othello does not see the fake and malicious acts of Iago.
This is done to extend the play and also add to Othello’s tragic flaws. Othello
trusts too easily. Othello is used to dealing with military people and on the
battle field, a place where you put your life in the hands of others and trust
is very important. Iago reputation on the battle field is well known and is not
tarnished. With Othello being a military leader for most of his life, trusting
another military friend, is not uncommon, and therefore, Othello has no reason
not to believe or trust Iago. So it can be said that Othello has a number of
tragic flaws, one being trust worthy. It is not to say that being trust worthy
is a bad characteristic, but to not trust your own wife?
Othello, tragically, in Act III, scene 3, is thoroughly corrupted by
Iago, says that he believes that Desdemona is honest, but yet he thinks that she
is not. This is a part that Othello’s “innocence” is torn to bits, because he
does not know what to believe anymore. This is also where he comes to Iago for
advice, which is what Iago has been waiting for. Othello is seen as a confused
man without direction and does know what to do.
“By the world, I think that my wife be honest and think
that she is not. I think that thou art just and think
she is not.
Othello then says to Iago:
“Damn her, lewd minx, damn her, damn her!
Come, go with me apart. I will withdraw
To furnish me with some swift means of death
Far that fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant.”
(Act 3, scene 4, 540)
Here it shows that Othello is now starting to believe Iago. Another
time that Iago starts to make Othello believe even more that is wife is
unfaithful is when he tells Othello that he has overheard Cassio talking in his
sleep about Desdemona and that he has also noticed Cassio wiping his face with
the strawberry-embroidered handkerchief, that Othello had given to Desdemona for
his first present. This now where Othello is convinced that Desdemona has been
unfaithful, and vows revenge against Cassio and Desdemona. It is in this
scene that Iago implants the suspicions and jealousy in Othello’s head, which
tragically bring about the events in the play. It is also here, where
Desdemona tries to reconcile the differences between Othello and Cassio, in
which Othello sees them together and reinforces the allegations that Iago has
made to Othello. Iago helps by adding the gasoline to the fire when he tells
Othello about how Cassio and Desdemona have known each other for some time.
Othello is upset and vows revenge.
“Not with vain thanks but with acceptance bounteous,
And will upon the instant pit thee to’t
Within these three days let me hear thee say
That Cassio’s not alive.” (Act III, scene 4)
Iago also reminds Othello that Desdemona has also deceived her father,
her own flesh an blood, why not then lie to her husband. Othello then tells
Iago that he is bound to him forever for all that he has done for him. It is
made clear in this scene that Iago is honest and true man. A man of his word,
and for that Othello is forever indebted.
After the events of the loss of the handkerchief, shown clearly is the
anger of Othello when he asks Desdemona to produce the handkerchief. When she
can not, it is set in his mind that she has been deceitful. It does not help
the situation in any way that Desdemona lies about having the handkerchief, it
only adds to the fire that burns within Othello’s eyes.
Othello’s jealousy is the one flaw that brings him down the most. It is
not to say that with out Iago instigating all that he has that the situation
would have been better. But one can see that jealousy is the knife that stabs
himself. Othello is jealous of Desdemona and Cassio, which can be somewhat
understandable. It is known that Desdemona and Cassio have known each other for
sometime. It is known that Cassio has had a crush on Desdemona for awhile.
When Othello asks to see the handkerchief and she can’t show it to him, it makes
him wonder. When Iago is talking to Cassio about Desdemona, while Othello is
listening, he makes him wonder. When Cassio is caught with the handkerchief, it
makes Othello wonder. With all of these attributes and events, one can only be
jealous of Cassio and Desdemona. Othello has been manipulated in such a way by
Iago though, that he won’t even believe is own wife. Desdemona pleads with
Othello that she has been faithful and has done nothing wrong. It is Othello’s
jealousy and Iago’s malicious manipulating that leads to the death of all of
them. Even though Iago is the villain of all villains, Othello’s tragic flaw of
jealousy, leads to his downfall. Iago manipulates the characters and enrages
Othello’s fire of jealousy within himself. One can not only look at the
villainous plots of Iago, but also look at Othello’s impractical train of
thought and jealousy. Othello does not reason with anyone except Iago. This is
why Iago is the villain of all villains. This is why Othello’s jealousy can be
said to be his greatest downfall. Over the entire play, not only does Iago
become the antogonist that he is, but also Othello’s tragic flaw of jealousy
leads to his, Iago’s and innocent Desdemona. One can see why Othello, might be
Shakespeare’s most tragic plays.
Другие работы по теме:
Othello Act Iv Essay Research Paper Othello
Othello Act Iv Essay, Research Paper Othello Journal Act IV In Act IV of Othello, by WIlliam Shakespeare, Iago continues his torture of Othello. Iago torments Othello until Othello pratically faints. He keeps pushing
Critical Lense Essay Research Paper Critical Lense
Critical Lense Essay, Research Paper Critical Lense American essayist Logan Paersall Smith once said, What I like in a good author is not what he says but what he whispers. I believe this means Logan thinks a good author doesn t always say things directly but uses literary elements like characterization and symbolism to get a message across to the reader.
Othello Essay Research Paper Iago was a
Othello Essay, Research Paper Iago was a very influencel character in the play, also very cunning. he worked on the emotiotion of just about every characther. some were cassio, othello, and rodrigo.
Reputation In Othello Essay Research Paper Reputation
Reputation In Othello Essay, Research Paper Reputation plays a big role in the play Othello written by Shakespeare. Iago uses his reputation as an honest man to deceive Othello and everyone else. Othello’s reputation also plays a big role throughout the play. Cassio’s changing reputation has a big part in the outcome of the play as well.
Othello Shakespeare
’s Most Tragic Play Essay, Research Paper Othello: Shakespeare’s Most Tragic Play William Shakespeare have written many plays. His most tragic play is Othello.
Othello By William Shakespeare 1564
– 1616) Essay, Research Paper Shakespeare’s Othello epitomizes the playwright’s masterful ability to weave his characters’ intricate motives and acts into
Othello Play Essay Research Paper The four
Othello Play Essay, Research Paper The four main characters in the play Othello represent four different character traits of manhood: Roderigo, the failure; Othello, the hero, yet the insane
The Manipulation Of Othello And Cassio Essay
, Research Paper The Manipulation of Othello A tragic fault is a character trait which causes the action of a tragic hero or character. Iago manipulates Othello and Cassio by using their character traits and flaws
Response Paper On Othello Essay Research Paper
HUM 125 Response Paper Othello was confronted with many betrayals that lead him in killing his beautiful wife, Desdemona. When though Othello was a great warrior as well as a person of wisdom, but even his strength or his wisdom could not stop him from felling into the hands of a villain. The hands he fell into were Iago’s.
Shakespearian Tradgedy Essay Research Paper In the
Shakespearian Tradgedy Essay, Research Paper In the article, Othello and the pattern of Shakespearean Tragedy, by G.R. Hibbard published in 1968, Hibbard discusses how Othello, by William Shakespeare, stands apart from the rest of the Shakespearean Tragedies. He uses examples from the play to support his thesis of how the tragic pattern in Othello is very much different from that of the others.
Othello Essay Research Paper In the play
Othello Essay, Research Paper In the play, Othello, by Shakespeare, villainous character, Iago, schemes to bring Othello s happiness to an end. Iago conspires to have Othello turn against his comrade, Cassio, and try to kill him for his misdeeds against Desdamona. Iago arises Othello s feelings and emotions towards Desdamona by feeding on Othello s great pride in Desdamona s devotion to Othello.
Reputations In Othello Essay Research Paper Reputations
Reputations In Othello Essay, Research Paper Reputations of the main characters and its role in Othello In the play Othello written by William Shakespeare, the theme of reputation was a very important part of what made the play tragic. Reputation was so important in the play that it could have gave insight to characters or allowed characters to have manipulated others and it allowed for the tragedy of Othello to have been unfolded.
Othello Essay Research Paper Othello In the
Othello Essay, Research Paper Othello In the play “The tragedy of Othello,” one character that I thought clearly changed during the course of the play was the main character, Othello. Othello was a man of great dignity and honor. He was noble of birth, both a captain and a general, the foremost officer in the state of Venice and the new General of Cyprus.
Othello As A Tragic Hero Essay Research
Paper Othello In Shakespeare’s Othello, Othello can be considered a tragic hero because he follows Aristotle’s six elements of a tragedy. Another tragic hero who follows the same six elements of a tragedy is Oedipus from Oedipus the King. Based on Aristotle’s six elements of a tragedy, position, flaw, prophecy, recognition, catastrophe, and reversal, the character Othello from Shakespeare’s Othello can be considered a tragic hero.
Othello The Tragic Hero Essay Research Paper
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.
Shakespearean Tragic Heros Essay Research Paper The
Shakespearean Tragic Heros Essay, Research Paper The name tragic hero , which has become synonymous with Shakespearean dramas, was developed before Hamlet, Macbeth or any of Shakespeare s well-known plays were written. The literary term was actually discovered around 330 BC by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Othello Character Flaw Essay Research Paper Yes
Othello Character Flaw Essay, Research Paper Yes, I fully agree that you must be careful of outward appearances. Appearances can be very deceiving, as we saw in the play Othello. Othello did not know that Iago had a hidden agenda, had Othello known that Iago was untruthful, this Shakespearean tragedy would not of happened.
Othello 4 Essay Research Paper Othello isn
Othello 4 Essay, Research Paper Othello isn t a play about racism as much as it is a play about jealosy, conflicting values, and the power of suggestion. Some racism is displayed within the play, but that is simply a reflection of how most minorities were treated in the time period when the population in Europe was predominantly of white skin color.
Othello By Shakespeare Essay Research Paper Andrew
Othello By Shakespeare Essay, Research Paper Andrew Cecil Bradley discusses Shakespearean tragedy as being exemplified by a tragic hero with a tragic flaw, which ultimately leads to the demise of this hero. He states that “no play at the end of which the hero remains alive is, in the full Shakespearean sense, a tragedy”.
Othellos Flaw Essay Research Paper In Shakespeare
Othellos Flaw Essay, Research Paper In Shakespeare’s play Othello, Othello himself is the tragic hero. He is an individual 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.
Jealusy In Othello Essay Research Paper The
Jealusy In Othello Essay, Research Paper The emotions of jealousy in the characters in Othello In Othello Shakespeare presents everybody with the tragic spectacle of a man who, in a spirit of jealous rage, destroys what he loves best in all the world. Such a spectacle must of necessity be painful, whatever the object destroyed and whoever the destroyer, but it is doubly painful and deeply tragic when we see a noble man brutally killing his pure, faithful and loving young wife in the mistaken belief that she was cheating on him.
Othello Essay Research Paper Jealousy is a
Othello Essay, Research Paper Jealousy is a green-eyed monster. Jealousy can corrupt a person into a monster. In the play Othello, by William Shakespeare, the character Othello was corrupted by jealousy
Othello Essay Research Paper OTHELLOOthello is a
Othello Essay, Research Paper OTHELLO Othello is a romantic character. His origins are not from the high society like his wife or the previous governor, instead, he comes Morocco and usually he is called the Moor. He is a characteristic hard working man that has got his leadership by working in the most humble working places, such as being a slave, and working hard to let himself out of slavery to become a high politician.
Why Isn
’t Shakespeare’s Othello Called Iago Essay, Research Paper Should William Shakespeare’s Othello be called Iago? It is possibly his greatest tragedy, yet it has many problems, curiosities, and questions. That is one specific question that should definately be thought about. I believe Othello is a good name for the play.
Othello And Much Ado About Nothing Essay
, Research Paper The two villains in ?Much Ado About Nothing? and ?Othello? share much in common, despite their numerous differences. It is evident that Shakespeare
Character Analysis Of Iago In Othello Essay
, Research Paper Character Analysis of Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello In William Shakespeare’s “Othello”, the character Iago is, at least in my point of view, the main and most interesting character. Iago is in virtually every scene in the play, and has his hands in almost all doings within the play. Iago is truly one of the greatest villans in literature.
Othello Act 5 Analysis Essay Research Paper 2
Othello: Act 5 Analysis Essay, Research Paper Othello: Act 5 Analysis Iago’s intelligence causes the self destruction of Othello. He appears to be the most intelligent person in the play, Othello, by the way he acts and
The Theme Of Revenge In Othello Essay
, Research Paper The Theme of Revenge in Othello Revenge is a constant theme throughout the play Othello. It is portrayed through the character Iago. Iago is determined to destroy Othello and his loved ones. This retribution is a
ShakespeareS Othello
– Iago Essay, Research Paper In act one of Othello, Shakespeare?s character, Iago, shows how deceitful and disloyal people can be. Iago?s disloyalty towards Othello and Cassio is portrayed through the lies
Shakespere Essay Research Paper In all of
Shakespere Essay, Research Paper In all of Shakespeare?s great novels there are many experiences, tragic or otherwise that one can learn from. Shakespeare?s novel Othello is not an exception this rule. Throughout Othello there are many examples of mistakes made by the characters that a reader can learn from.
William ShakespeareS Othello Essay Research Paper The
William Shakespeare?S Othello Essay, Research Paper The Hamartias of Othello In William Shakespeare?s tragedy Othello, the hero, Othello, is plagued by his many hamartias. Termed by Aristotle around 330 B.C., hamartia is a tragic hero?s ?error or transgression or his flaw or weakness of character.? (p.1296) Othello?s hamartias include jealousy, a blind, unrealistic love for Desdemona, trusting others too easily, and his unrealized ability to deceive himself.