Othello: Character Essay, Research Paper

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.