How Is Othello A Tragic Hero
Tragic heroes always meet their demise in the end. They have characteristics that result in their tragic deaths. In William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Othello, the protagonist Othello exemplifies the characteristics of a tragic hero.
A tragic hero has a flaw which results in the character’s untimely death. William Shakespeare reveals Othello’s tragic flaw, irrational jealousy, as the plot builds to his downfall. Irrational jealousy begins when Iago tells Othello “why go to then! She that so young could give out such a seeming” (III, iii,207-208). Iago makes Othello jealous regarding the supposed affair between Cassio and Desdemona by constantly hinting about it to Othello. Throughout the play, Iago manipulates Othello’s insecure and jealous mind. Iago convinces Othello of false information, convincing him to kill Desdemona. Easily manipulated by Iago, Othello’s inherent character flaw, irrational jealousy, directly interferes with his common sense, driving him into a murderous rage. The result, the unjust murder of Desdemona, also leads to Othello’s own suicide. In the case of Othello, the audience watches as his tragic flaw destroys Othello’s life and brings about his fall from grace.
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Othello loses his respect and nobility when he falls right into Iago’s trap. In Act IV, an upset Othello strikes Desdemona. The Venetian gentleman, Lodovico, sees for the first time Othello behave violently. Lodovico asks,” Is this the noble Moor whom our full Senate/Call all in all sufficient?” (IV,ii,259-260). Lodovico in this scene sees Othello significantly change because he had been well respected in Venice. Othello’s behavior in Act IV differs from Act I, showing how a tragic hero falls and how they can destroy themselves and their
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341 Words | 2 Pages“A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” This quote articulated by famous Greek philosopher Aristotle provided the basis for another category of heroes: tragic heroes. Throughout literature’s history there have been various tragic heroes from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby in the novel The Great Gatsby to Oedipus Rex in Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King. William Shakespeare created tragic heroes in his plays as well, one of the most famous being Macbeth in the title play Macbeth. In another of Shakespeare’s plays, Hamlet, Prince Hamlet cries out, “To be, or not to be: that is the question:/” which appears similar to the question some readers still ask, “Is or is not Macbeth a tragic hero?” (INTEXTDOCUMENTATION).
Self Confidence In Othello
1344 Words | 6 PagesUnfortunately, he trusted the wrong person due to his growing lack of self-esteem. Iago, a hypocrite who hid his evil thoughts by appearing as a man of extreme honesty, saw that he could erode Othello’s self-esteem because of who he was, a moor living in European society. He realized he could manipulate Othello for his own evil ends. He slyly used pathos to gain his trust, saying, “My Lord, you know I love you” (III.iii.118) to convince him of his honesty and reliability. Then he suggested the unpredictable nature of Desdemona by saying, “Ay, there’s the point: as, to be bold with you, not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion, and degree, whereto we see in all things nature tends - Foh!”
Tragic Hero Examples
1890 Words | 8 PagesA tragic hero is a protagonist in a tragedy who is doomed by fate to destruction. The tragic hero displays heroic traits, but also possesses a tragic flaw that brings them down in the end. However, even though the death of the tragic hero has negative effects, the majority is for the greater good. Three main theories of the tragic hero are the Aristotelian model, the Shakespearean model, and the modern tragic hero. Each model has five defining characteristics, which are nobility, hamartia, downfall, anagnorisis, and suffering.
Examples Of Desdemona's Jealousy In Othello
971 Words | 4 PagesMLA International Bibliography EBSCOhost, doi:10.1353/jem.2015.0006. Accessed 14 Mar. 2017. Synopsis Jealousy is evident in Shakespeare’s Othello through several sources, but most commonly seen as possessiveness over the female characters (with a focus on Desdemona) in the play.
How Othello's Character Changes
844 Words | 4 PagesOthello’s character undergoes a significant change due to a series of events at the hands of Iago, the play’s antagonist to enhance the fact that even a valiant heroes can become corrupt. In the beginning of the play, Othello adores
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1843 Words | 8 PagesA tragic hero is somebody who is well-known and of high position with heroic or potentially heroic qualities. A tragic hero, is remarkable, however not impeccable, therefore being possible to relate to as a human being. The hero 's downfall is the result of a fatal flaw in his or her character. Their downfall is the result of free will, not of an accident or insignificant destiny. The hero 's fall is never a complete loss.
Jealousy Quotes In Othello
759 Words | 4 PagesThe tragedy of Othello written by William Shakespeare presents the main character Othello as a respectable, honorable, and dignified man. However, because of his insecurities and good nature he is easily taken advantage of and manipulated by his alleged friends. Shakespeare is known for his exceptional ability to compose plays full of deceit, revenge, and jealousy. Jealousy is an underlying theme throughout the tragedy and has been represented by many of the main characters, such as Iago, Roderigo, and Othello. The topic of jealousy will ultimately lead to the demise of many characters throughout the tragedy.
Theme Of Manipulation In Othello
944 Words | 4 PagesIago also manipulates Othello with jealousy. When Othello is gone at war, Iago tells him that Cassio and Desdemona were getting too close. At first Othello does not believe him, but by Iago saying “nothing,my lord; or if- I know not what” Othello starts to question if it is true (III. III. 39). Iago constantly uses his “innocence” to make Othello jealous and start to assume that it is true. These actions eventually lead to a tragic event.
Shakespeare's Macbeth As A Tragic Hero
803 Words | 4 PagesThe term tragic hero is a character of noble birth who can emphasize with the audience by qualities. A tragic hero must create a situation that he or she can not change. According to Aristotle there are also certain characteristics in which a tragic hero must convey through their actions. In Shakespeare 's Macbeth some may see Macbeth as an antagonist, but Macbeth is a tragic hero because he holds high positions and works his way to more, recognizes his flaw, and shows responsibility for his doom.
Theme Of Dishonesty In Othello
750 Words | 3 PagesIn the play Othello, William Shakespeare creates an elaborate tragedy with various in depth characters, enhancing the story with powerful characterization. Iago, the main antagonist of Othello, exemplifies Shakespeare’s use of characterization to create in depth and complex characters. Using his manipulative nature, intellectual mind, egotistical attitude, and dishonesty, Iago controls the other characters in order to achieve his goal, leading Othello to succumb to an overwhelming jealousy causing his downfall. In order for Iago to gain control of the characters in the play, he manipulates Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and more to believe false information and turn on one another.
Othello Act 3 Scene 3 Analysis
982 Words | 4 PagesAct 3, Scene 3 of Shakespeare’s Othello embodies a pivotal point in the play, as it is a transition act that grounds the foundation of Iago’s development as an antagonist and the play’s development as a tragedy. In fact, Othello is written by William Shakespeare in the early 17th century. In Act 3 Scene 3, Iago begins his insinuations of an affair between Cassio and Desdemona, which petition Othello to consider the likelihood of Desdemona’s infidelity and Cassio’s disloyalty. In this particular scene, Shakespeare makes meticulous use of linguistic and dramatic techniques to characterise Iago as an scheming, deceptive and hypocritical antagonist.
Effects Of Jealousy In Othello
621 Words | 3 PagesAlso, each relationship in Othello provokes jealousy in one partner. In a typical Venetian society, a woman was considered to be a man’s property, so if a woman was disobedient, it negatively impacted the man, while also questioning his masculinity. The hyperbolic soliloquy as Othello expressed he would “rather be a toad” than “keep a corner of the thing I love” is Othello’s justification of killing his wife, as her untrustworthiness challenged his masculinity and reputation. Referring to Desdemona as a “thing” emphasises the idea of women being property. Iago’s jealousy of Desdemona and Othello’s relationship is emphasised through the degrading comment of Othello, “an old black ram” “tupping” Brabantio’s “white ewe”.
Macbeth: An Aristotelian Tragic Hero
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Theme Of Weakness In Othello
457 Words | 2 PagesAnother prominent action of weakness Othello does is striking Desdemona in the face. After being hit, Desdemona cries and Lodovico says that Othello should not have done that. Othello, now seeing Desdemona as a liar, says, “Oh, devil, devil! / If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears,
Jealousy In William Shakespeare's Othello
665 Words | 3 PagesJealousy does not merely destroy the bonds of love, but also alters the lives of the people involved. In The Tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare, Othello’s entire life is ripped apart by the detrimental lies fed to him by Iago involving his wife Desdemona. William Shakespeare uses imagery, as well as personification to paint a vivid image in the reader’s mind of how jealousy can completely shatter someone’s life In The Tragedy of Othello.
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