Othello: Character Analysis Paper

                                                                                                            

           

                            Character Analysis: Shakespeare’s Othello

   6. Does Othello fall as the result of a tragic flaw? Why or why not?

            A tragic hero is a person who initially is well-respected and holds a high reverence within society. They are of high moral worth and are highly ambitious in what they set out to achieve. A single mistake or tragic flaw can, bring them to damage, with a loss of everything that they possess. In William Shakespeare's Othello, the protagonist, Othello is an exceptional example of a character that falls as the result of a tragic flaw. In the play, Othello; a black moor downfalls from a highly respected general to a jealous man who murders his own wife and himself. To begin, Othello; who’s portrayed as a man that shows greatness; was a general from Venice who received high respect from his townspeople. However, Othello suffers from a moral dilemma, “jealousy.” Othello becomes convinced by scheming friend;Iago, that his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful to him with his lieutenant, Cassio. Othello believes Desdemona should no longer live due to the thoughts that have been made up in his head regarding her unfaithfulness. In the end, Othello deals with love lost in which his gullibility and jealousy were the two main reasons that led him to his downfall. Author William Shakespeare uses the literary device, characterization to portray Othello as a man who is entirely good but contributes to his own destruction by some moral weakness (the "tragic flaw").

       

            In the beginning of the play, Othello is characterized as a compassionate military noble man who has a passionate love for his wife Desdemona, whom is of extreme purity. The manipulative character, Iago takes over the play and uncovers the hero’s tragic flaw; eventually being jealous and gullible. Although Othello is usually perceived a very firm man, it can be seen when he refuses to let Iago persuade him to get angry at Roderigo in Act 2 Scene 1. Shakespeare demonstrates dramatic irony allowing readers to realize Othello’s tragic flaw for the fact that he hands his full trust over to a man who is two-faced and dishonest (Iago). “...My ancient; a man he is of honesty and trust. To this conveyance I assign my wife”. This line expresses Othello’s misunderstanding of his flag, Iago, who is already plotting against him for his own means. After witnessing Iago’s scheme with Roderigo at the downfall of Othello in the previous act, it suggests Iago is truly a villain. However in his innocence, Othello is blinded to it and by it. This was revealed by a simple influence by Iago. Even though Iago used intense manipulation to get Othello to be jealous, Iago did not really have to try very hard to get Othello to be jealous; Othello was blinded by his jealousy which led him constantly questioning Desdemona and his friend/officer, Cassio.

              The progress of Othello cores around the jealousy of the rival as the medium with which his tragic flaw lands his downfall. As the play progresses, and Iago ruins the mind of Othello more and more effectively, Othello becomes increasingly gullible. His emotion causes him to lash out and become weak in everyway possible. The ending is the goal of Iago’s to the tragic flaw. Another flaw he faced was being one of the guys; he trusted the wrong person, Iago, and distrusted his wife because he was likely to base his trust on male friendship. He distrusted Cassio, at Iago's advice, because the claim against Cassio was one he understood.

            In Act IV Scene I, Othello falls into a trance after being a victim again to another one of Iago’s cruel lies of the imaginary affair between Desdemona and Cassio. “she must die, else she’ll betray more men…” (Act V Scene II). Othello plans the death of Desdemona, which includes smothering her in her bed. Othello believes Desdemona should no longer live due to the thoughts that have been made up in his head regarding her unfaithfulness. Due to Othello’s jealousy, Desdemona suffers deeply. After killing Desdemona, Othello begins to suffer with incredible guilt.

                 The handkerchief was the first gift Desdemona received from Othello; she keeps it about her constantly as a symbol of Othello’s love. Iago manipulates the handkerchief so that Othello comes to see it as a symbol of Desdemona herself. Othello learns about the handkerchief, and his guilt worsens. He asks for the truth regarding the handkerchief: “…How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief/That was my wife’s?” (Act V Scene II). Othello’s reveals this before his suicide, “speak of one that loved not wisely, but too well, of one not easily jealous but, being wrought, perplexed in an extreme....” This shows that Othello came to the realization of the tragic flaw of his gullibility and lack of wisdom has led to the dreadful situation. With Desdemona dead, Othello discovers the truth concerning the handkerchief and kills himself for murdering his wife due to the great regret he feels. In conclusion, Othello’s jealousy and gullibility corrupts his exceptional leadership, which led to his tragic downfall. Throughout the play, Othello sank deeper and deeper into his own blur of disbelief which led him to kill not only Desdemona but also himself. So it’s in fact true that Othello's jealousy, gullibility, and inability to see past it remains the reason for his downfall. 

          The evidence stated in my previous claims suggests that nobody is more responsible for Othello, than Othello. He kills his wife; he faces the knowledge that she was innocent; he kills himself fully aware of his foolishness, and dies in misery. Throughout the play Shakespeare shows the reader Othello’s fall as the result of a tragic flaw ending in a tragedy. The tragedy was that Othello allowed lies to challenge his faith in life, and in doing so, he destroyed what he cherished most. In other words, jealousy and gullibility has the power to destroy.