William Shakespeare is one of the most brilliant playwrights of all time because of his ability to create complex characters and intricate plot structures. Long before Shakespeare’s time, the philosopher Aristotle created the first definition of what a great tragedy consists of and what makes a tragic hero. The play “Othello”, by William Shakespeare, is defined as a tragedy. By an Aristotelian definition, is it accurate to define the play “Othello” as a tragedy and is it correct to define the character Othello as a tragic hero? A close analysis of the play “Othello”, reveals that William Shakespeare was likely influenced by Aristotle’s definition of a tragedy and a tragic hero. Despite this influence, it would be incorrect to define Othello …show more content…
This is a hasty judgment, as mentioned before, Othello’s downfall is other characters being manipulated by Iago. For instance, Iago uses the fact that Othello is a foreigner to incite a racial detest via Brabantio. “” Iago uses Roderigo’s jealousy to carry out his will. Roderigo is in love with Desdemona, yet he has been denied her hand. It is in a jealous rage that he acts as a henchman for Iago (he alerts Brabantio of his daughter’s elopement with Othello, he places false evidence to convince of Cassio and Desdemona’s affair). Iago uses Cassio’s behavior against him. He is an eloquent speaker, ready and able to charm (especially with the opposite sex). Iago uses this against him and creates a fake affair between Cassio and Desdemona. Most cunning, Iago uses Desdemona’s innocence and naivety to conduct these incidents. These forces combine to create a complex illusion of what is not real, which spurs Othello and leads to his downfall. So yes, Othello’s fall from his high estate is caused by his own misjudgment, however it is not the only reason he is brought down. W. H. Auden states, “the fall of Othello is the work of another human being; nothing he says or does originates with himself” (Gioia, 1010). His downfall is induced by the clever and manipulative Iago not his own tragic flaw; therefore, Othello is not a tragic hero by an Aristotelian
What is perhaps the leading cause for the downfall of the characters in the play is Iago’s hypocritical nature that comes with an undeniable desire for fame, and receiving attention from others. To begin with, the audience can develop the idea that Iago greatly appreciates all the compliments that others give to him. Noteworthy evidence includes when Cassio “humbly [thanks Iago] for’t, [never knowing] a Florentine more kind and honest (3.1.27-28), as well as when Othello states that he knows [Iago is] full of love and honesty (3.3.118). The significance behind Othello, Iago, and what others thought about Iago’s qualities that he possesses all share one thing in common – the characters share their feelings for Iago whenever he ensures that he would help find solutions to their problems, such as Roderigo’s fondness for Desdemona, bringing back Cassio’s position as lieutenant, and helping out Othello by ending the alleged relationship between Desdemona and Cassio; this evidence demonstrates how Iago would do whatsoever only for people to praise him and to create a positive reputation of himself so it would be easier for him to hide his felonious schemes from others. Similarly, in order
Aristotle’s concept of the tragic hero and that a hero must meet the following definition, (1) must be a noble man, prince, or person of high estate, (2) have a tragic flaw or a weakness in judgment and (3) fall from high to low estate. When Shakespeare wrote about Othello, he envisioned an exotic figure, a North African man, well-educated and although raised in the Muslim faith he converted to Christianity as an adult. Reference to Othello as a “Valiant Hero” (I.iii.49) by the majority of other characters makes his nobility indisputable Regardless of his nobility, seniority, wealth, and accomplishments; Othello was an outsider in Venice. Before the reader is introduced to Othello, he is obscurely referred to as he or him and is also called “the Moor” (I.i.57), “the thick-lips” (I.i.66); which are all names implying that Othello is dark skinned. He was admired and valued for his military genius, yet his “distinction’ evoked curiosity,...
An important reason that makes Iago is such a fascinating character is the fact that there is little known about him. Unlike the other characters in this play, Iago cannot be given any clear description about who he is as a person. Desdemona is the typical pure virgin type, Roderigo is a rich fool in love, and Cassio is a handsome Venetian army Lieutenant. For Iago there is no other apparent about his character other than his snake like personality. The information about him is that he is a general to Othello, and is married to Desdemona’s hand maiden, Emilia. This is all that is known about Iago, the reader is given no background. The main mystery about Iago is why he executes his devious plan. Through the whole play, the reader is looking for reasons or hints as to why Iago has become so evil. By the end of the play there is no clear reason for him going after Othello. When describing why he plans to ruin Othello he gives two reasons; rumors about his wife having an affair with Othello, and a hint about affections for Desdemona. Both of these reasons are said in a vague off-handed type manner, giving the reader no true motive for Iago. Even in the very end of the play, after he’s been caught Iago refuses to give a...
Most readers are aware of the many famous deaths or acts of death within the Shakespearean plays. And when the main characters die in Shakespeare’s plays, indeed, the readers would categorize the play as a tragedy. The problem with any tragedy definition is that most tragic plays do not define the tragedy conditions explained or outlined by Aristotle. According to Telford (1961), a tragedy is a literary work that describes the downfall of an honorable, main character who is involved on historically or socially significant events. The main character, or tragic hero, has a tragic fault, the quality that leads to his or her own destruction. In reading Aristotle’s point of view, a tragedy play is when the main character(s) are under enormous pressure and are incapable to see the dignities in human life, which Aristotle’s ideas of tragedy is based on Oedipus the King. Shakespeare had a different view of tragedy. In fact, Shakespeare believed tragedy is when the hero is simply and solely destroyed. Golden (1984) argued the structure of Shakespearean tragedy would be that individual characters revolved around some pain and misery.
How Othello Follows the Rules of Tragedy Tragedy is not just simply one sad event, in ancient Greek plays and in Shakespeare's tragedies it usually follows a number of common ingredients or rules. Firstly it involves a conspicuous or exceptional personality. For example in the occurrence of Princess Diana's death she was the exceptional character. She was a woman who had done an astonishing amount of work for charities and a Princess. The second rule of tragedy is that it must be unexpected and constructed with previous happiness or glory.
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
Iago is definitely to blame for the misfortune that occurs in the story. Iago disseats every character in the story. Iago’s main reason for doing so was that he felt mistreated and overlooked when Othello assigned Cassio his right hand man. So the only true character Iago truly despises is Cassio. Iago dislikes Othello, but ultimately would rather be his buddy then his enemy. Iago sees Othello as a good guy, but simply sees Othello’s pick of Cassio as just a lapse in judgement. So Iago takes it upon himself to change what he saw as wrong. The only problem is
In conclusion, I feel that Othello is to blame for his downfall completely because he could have prevented the deaths of three people including him from happening by not letting rumours and assumptions getting the best of him and having faith in his wife. If he had even bothered to ask Desdemona if any of what Iago said about her was true, he could have seen what a distasteful man Iago really was and not have been fooled and driven to insanity and Desdemona could have at least justified herself properly. He must have had the same doubts in his head from the beginning of the relationship as he instantly believed the lies, because if he hadn’t, he would have questioned Iago more than once. Jealously is a powerful motive.
The Tragedy of Othello William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, from the sixteenth century is an excellent example of Renaissance humanism. “A poet of unparalleled genius, Shakespeare emerged during the golden age of England under the rule of Elizabeth I.”(Fiero 3:98) He produced comedies, tragedies, romances and histories. According to Webster’s pocket dictionary, a tragedy is defined as a form of drama in which the protagonist comes to a disaster, as through a flaw in character, and in which the ending is usually marked by pity or sorrow. I would like to concentrate on the character Iago and the theme of deceit.
Iago is a very strategic and clever person, and he despises Othello because Othello appointed Cassio as a lieutenant over Iago. He plans to ruin Othello’s life by ruining his relationship with Desdemona. He starts off by telling Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, of Othello and Desdemona’s secret marriage. Iago goes to
Of Shakespeare’s five greatest tragedies, Othello is by far the most passionate and gripping. It is a tale of love, deception, evil, honesty, and virtue. Othello himself is set apart from other Shakespearean tragic heroes by the absolute feeling of affection the audience feels for him even unto the very end of the play. Any discerning reader painfully recognizes the virtue and goodness of Othello throughout the entire play, in contrast to the general degeneration of character so typical of a tragic hero. It is this complete pity that makes the death of Othello so tragic as the audience lends their full hopeful support until the inevitable and unavoidable fall. The evil side of Othello’s tragic flaw came from without, in the form of Iago. The internal flaw exists only in his heartrendingly unshakable goodness and honor.
Shakespeare’s Othello consists of the themes betrayal, love and dishonesty. At the centre of this play is the tragic downfall of Othello at the hands of his so called friend Iago. In this essay I will be discussing the reasons for and against Othello being responsible for his downfall through looking at critical interpretations of his character and actions.
In conclusion the downfall of Othello was because of his own weaknesses. His traits were the reason why Othello was responsible for the plays tragic outcome. Iago was able to control Othello like a puppet because of his easily manipulated conscience. He chose to make the poor decisions, trusting the wrong people. His mind got clouded by the obsession and jealousy of Desdemona. Othello’s own weaknesses were what led the tragic hero to his tragic
Iago has been to blame for the downfall of Othello because he is the one that created the jealousy within Othello. Iago started this because he was jealous of Othello because he was not made lieutenant, and Cassio was. Iago has been selfish and takes it upon himself to get revenge against Othello.
Critic F.R Leavis states that it is not merely Iago’s devilish tricks which cause the tragedy in Othello, It was Othello himself was essentially faulty. This idea supports my hypothesis as Othello’s own lack of judgment causes his downfall in that he chooses to trust Iago- if Othello was not so naïve and had confronted Desdemona about the situation, Iago would not have been able to succeed in poisoning Othello’s mind. Othello then opens up to Iago and exposes his vulnerability, giving Iago a great opportunity to damage Othello. Othello believes Iago, and finds it easier to trust his own man who has served for him, as he believes his own men are more honest than his own