Character Analysis Of Othello

777 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Critical analysis of othello

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 by the senators …show more content…

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 starts to suspect his own wife of loving another man.
"Damn her, lewd minx, damn her, damn her! come, go with me apart. I will

Show More
Related

  • The Significance of Act 3 Scene 3 of William Shakespeare's Othello

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    Othello also has many weaknesses. In order to really understand the character of Othello, we have to understand him. as a tragic hero with greatness and weakness. At the beginning of the play his life is in order, as he was married to the beautiful Desdemona, the younger daughter of a well-respected Senator. Brabantio.

    Read More

  • The Dual Nature of Characters in Shakespeare's Othello

    566 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dual Nature of Characters in Othello Many of the characters in Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello, are duplicitous to the extent that how. they are perceived in public is not how they behave in private. The perception of the public plays.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's Othello

    568 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the character Othello is portrayed as a fairly good man. By some, he may be known as a bad person, but he has become greatly beneficial to the growth of Venice and the state of Cyprus. Othello is a good man even if he committed murder to his wife because he was a great war general and contributed to Cyprus in time of need. While Othello murdered his wife Desdemona, he did it purely from misunderstanding and jealousy. Iago made Othello believe Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio even though she never did such actions.

    Read More

  • Social Origins of "Othello"

    637 Words  | 2 Pages

    Othello is the central character of the story and Shakespeare emphasizes his nobility and charisma. He has "magic" in the words he uses and the stories he tells and his ability to speak towers above other characters. He is an excellent officer and possesses the virtues of honesty and fortitude.

    Read More

  • Othello in Shakespeare's Tragedy Othello

    652 Words  | 2 Pages

    Othello is a character of which he believes he has high standards and is a strong character, but yet his love for Desdemona becomes a great weakness which causes conflict later in the play.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's Othello

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    Othello: The play's protagonist and hero. A Christian Moor and general of the armies of Venice, Othello is an eloquent and physically powerful figure, respected by all those around him. In spite of his elevated status, he is nevertheless easy prey to insecurities because of his age, his life as a soldier, and his race. He possesses a "free and open nature," which his ensign Iago uses to twist his love for his wife, Desdemona, into a powerful and destructive jealousy

    Read More

  • Othello Analysis

    2032 Words  | 5 Pages

    The European Renaissance forever changed the life of the contemporary individual. Explosive advancements in education, technology, and trade broadened geographic and mental horizons; however, in England these developments were paired with population crises of poverty and unemployment. In addition, the increased interaction with foreign cultures fomented by various commercial and diplomatic engagements gave rise to apprehension in English sensibility. Eventually, Christian England would attempt to reshape these ‘strangers’ in their image and modern racial tensions sprung forth. Recursion of the trope of race, under the guise of blackness, heathenry, or even femininity occurs extensively in literary tradition, and especially within Shakespeare’s oeuvre. “There exists in all literature an archetypal figure who escapes both poles of the classic definition – appearing sometimes as hero, sometimes as villain, sometimes as clown…[he] has been named variously the ‘shadow,’ the ‘other,’ the ‘alien,’ the ‘outsider,’ the ‘stranger.’” It is with this borderline figure, mired in ambiguity, that this investigation is concerned: primarily with the stranger as the Moor in Othello, the Welsh in Henry IV, Part 1, and the woman in both.

    Read More

  • Othello, The Moor of Venice

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first rule that is met in Shakespeare’s play is that Othello is considered tragic hero, which every tragedy must contain. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be a man in a position of power who is a good person and makes a mistake during the timeline of the play due to a tragic flaw. Othello’s major flaw can be seen as jealousy: “Othello has often been described as a tragedy of character, as the play’s protagonist swiftly descends into a rage of jealousy

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Othello

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Act three, Scene three, Desdemona agrees to speak to Othello in Cassio’s behalf) As Desdemona and Cassio discuss Cassio’s loss of rank and trust in Othello’s eyes. Iago brings to Othello’s attention the discussion taking place between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago knowing full well why the discussion is happening. Iago hints the pair seems to be spending a lot of time together. Iago plants the seed of doubt in Othello’s mind Othello begins to ponder the idea of whether Iago suspicions are true.

    Read More

  • Human Frailty in Othello

    1530 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tragedy is an intrinsically human concept; tragic heroes are damned by what they themselves do. Othello is not so much felled by the actions of Iago, but by a quality all people possess-- human frailty. Accordingly, Othello is not a victim of consequences, but an active participant in his downfall. He is not merely a vehicle for the machinations of Iago; he had free agency. Othello's deficiencies are: an insecure grasp of Venetian social values; lack of critical intelligence, self-knowledge, and faith in his wife; and finally, insecurity-- these are the qualities that lead to his own downfall.

    Read More

  • Othello the Tragic Hero in William Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice

    1617 Words  | 4 Pages

    Othello as a Tragic Hero William Shakespeare's famous tragedy "Othello, the Moor of Venice" (c.1604, as reprinted in Laurence Perrine and Thomas R. Arp, Literature: Structure Sound and Sense, 6th ed. [Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1993]1060-1148) is arguably one of the finest, if not the finest, tragedies in the literary history of Western civilization. This paper discusses Othello as a "tragic hero" and compares him to the great Aristotle's concept of what a "tragic hero" actually is. First, we need to understand the characteristics of a so-called "tragic hero" as defined by the Greek critic, Aristotle. He indicates that a tragic hero must have these characteristics: (1) Be a nobleman, prince, or person of high estate; (2) Have a tragic flaw, and a weakness in judgment; and (3) Fall from high to low estate. (Hubele). Using the Aristotle criteria, we can easily classify Othello, the Moor, as a tragic hero. At the time, it was common practice for the Italian city-states to have a foreigner, with proven military capabilities, serving as the head of their Army. Othello, an African Moor of noble birth, is just such a character and held the highest ranking military position as Governor-General of Cyprus. The city of Cyprus was a city-state in the great state of Venice. His title alone, Governor-General, exudes an air of nobility, confidence, and strength. It defines someone who is held in tremendously high esteem by the people of Venice. During Act 1, Scene 3, the Duke and a few Senators are discussing issues around a table when Othello enters the room.

    Read More

  • Othello Dynamic Character

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet. Romeo. Othello. These men not only star in some of Shakespeare’s finest plays, but they are all classic examples of tragic heroes. A tragic hero is one who is courageous and admired but who has a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. Othello was one of the greatest military men of the time. He was highly respected among his superiors for both his military prowess and level headed nature. This was a man who could be in the heat of a battle and would remain collected. Though this great hero also had great shortcomings. Othello was naive, jealous, and concerned with public appearance. Othello is truly a dynamic character. As the play continues and his jealous increases, Othello gradually changes from a flawless military general into

    Read More

  • Othello's Tragic Flaw

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the beginning, Othello is noble, quick to act, judicious, trusting, and gives much weight to the importance of duty. These are all traits that serve to make him great at the beginning of the play, and later, ironically, become key elements in his downfall. These aspects can be considered the internal causes of Othello’s tragic flaw. “Othello's nature is all one piece. His trust, where he trusts, is absolute.

    Read More

  • Othello Analysis

    1139 Words  | 3 Pages

    Later, when he is speaking to the duke, Othello says, “Most humbly, therefore, bending to your state, I crave fit disposition for my wife” (I.iii.231). Once again, he continues to stay calm and nonchalant as he explains to the duke that he has done nothing in his life involving witchcraft but that Desdemona and he got married because “She lov'd me for the dangers I had pass'd, And I lov'd her that she did pity them” (I.iii.167), meaning Desdemona fell in love with Othello because of the stories he told her, not be...

    Read More

  • Tragic Hero's Downfall In Othello '

    775 Words  | 2 Pages

    In society there are always people who are easily manipulated and possess poor judgment. This leads them to make wrong decisions and negatively affect their lives and the lives of the people around them. The reason for Othello’s tragic downfall was because of his poor judgement, his easily manipulated conscience and his jealousy and obsession with. These traits displayed why Othello was responsible for the play’s tragic outcome.

    Read More

More about Character Analysis Of Othello

Open Document