Othello: Shakespeare’s Most Tragic Play Essay, Research Paper

Othello: Shakespeare’s Most Tragic Play

William Shakespeare have written many plays. His most tragic play is Othello.

Othello is also the name of the main character in the play, he is quite hard to

understand. In order to have a better understanding of Othello’s character,

examining his changes throughout the play, flaws and why he is considered a

tragic hero will give the reader an insight of his overall personality.

Othello changes many times throughout the course of the play. At the

beginning of the play Othello trusts Desdemona with everything, but throughout

the play he loses confident in her because he listens to Iago’s suggestions

about her. ?’Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it That he would sneak

away so guilty like, Seeing you come.’? (Shakespeare 105). He shows disrespect

to Desdemona in front of other people. ?’Devil’ he strikes her ?I have not

deserved this.’? (141). Othello changes even more dramatically because of the

poison suggestions that Iago has given him. He goes out of control and

eventually kills Desdemona thinking that she has did something wrong.

Othello has many tragic flaws. He is a really gullible person, for

example he was tricked by Iago; thinking that Desdemona was really having an

affair with Cassio. ? ` Did he confess it?’? (134). He trusts Iago too much

and totally relies on Iago therefore making him really vulnerable to Iago’s

evilish schemes. Othello’s gullibility causes him to be jealous. He let’s his

jealousy take over, he looses control of himself and acts on his jealous

emotions, he let’s his jealousy clutter his mind and good judgment. ?`Damn her,

lewd minx! O, damn her, damn her! Come go with me part. I will withdraw To

furnish me with some swift means of death. For the fair devil. Now are the my

lieutenant’? (122). Othello’s other flaw is his anger. Othello acts upon his

anger and therefore ends up doing the things he regrets afterwards. ?`It is too

late.’ `O Lord, O Lord, Lord!’ he smothers her?(168). Therefore by examining

those points Othello has many tragic flaws in him.

Othello is considered a tragic hero because he fights for the people in

Venice in Cyprus. ?’The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for Cyprus.

Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you?.” (70). He is

looked upon as a hero by the Duke of Venice. The Duke praises Othello for his

abilities and accomplishments. He is considered to be tragic because he has

fallen in to the trap of Iago. Also Othello ends up killing Desdemona and then

commits suicide for the wrongful slaying of his wife. ?`? I took by th’throat

the circumcised dog And smote him thus.’ He stabs himself? (180). The moor

kills himself because he takes responsibility for what he did, which makes him

the tragic hero.

Othello is considered the most tragic Shakespeare play. Othello is a

character of many possibilities. His character is quite intriguing, the changes

he goes through, the flaws among him and why he is considered a tragic hero

gives us a detailed explanation of Othello as an overall person.