Othello Tragic Hero

Othello written by William Shakespeare is a prime example of an astutely crafted tragedy. The main character, Othello, has the military power and leadership that makes him vulnerable to devious plans because of jealousy one may have with his status. A well-respected military soldier tactfully lies and deceits his wife, which leads to turning the knife onto himself. The play illustrates how much one’s mind can be polluted with assumptions and suspension from a source with ulterior motives in such little time. Othello also has all of the elements of a tragic hero: the personal grievance of his loved one, the tragic flaw of gullibility, and the sacrificial suicide. Othello is honorable and noted with high regards around Venice; he also possesses

On behalf of Desdemona previously betraying her father, Othello is an easily misled man when it came to the distrust of Desdemona. He was easily influenced by the false assumptions Iago told him. Iago may have directly said that Desdemona was having an affair, but he did not give proof to confirm his rumors. Iago was also upfront with Othello telling him not to be a jealous man, pointing out the jealousy only destroys a man who falls to it: “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!/It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/The meat it feeds on” (Shakespeare 746). By Othello believing his lies, it only shows his inability to trust and have faith in his own wife. Throughout the unraveling of it all, Othello did not once confront Desdemona before she lay in front of him on her death bed. Othello’s jealousy towards Cassio and Desdemona overpowered him and he was not wise enough to catch on to Iago’s lies. As a result of him loving her so much he had to do something about her infidelity. If he had bothered to ask Desdemona if anything that Iago said was true, then Othello could have seen what a devious man Iago really was; ultimately, Othello would not have been fooled and driven to such thoughtless actions. Jealousy is what drove Othello to follow through with his plan to do something about Desdemona’s