Othello Essay Research Paper Othello as a free essay sample

Othello Essay, Research Paper Othello as a Tragic Hero William Shakespeare # 8217 ; s celebrated calamity # 8220 ; Othello, the Moor of Venice # 8221 ; ( c.1604, as reprinted in Laurence Perrine and Thomas R. Arp, Literature: Structure Sound and Sense, 6th erectile dysfunction. [ Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1993 ] 1060-1148 ) is arguably one of the finest, if non the finest, calamities in the literary history of Western civilisation. This paper discusses Othello as a # 8220 ; tragic hero # 8221 ; and compares him to the great Aristotle # 8217 ; s construct of what a # 8220 ; tragic hero # 8221 ; really is. First, we need to understand the features of a alleged # 8220 ; tragic hero # 8221 ; as defined by the Greek critic, Aristotle. He indicates that a tragic hero must hold these features: ( 1 ) Be a nobleman, prince, or individual of high estate ; ( 2 ) Have a tragic defect, and a failing in judgement ; and ( 3 ) Fall from high to low estate. ( Hubele ) . Using the Aristotle standards, we can easy sort Othell o, the Moor, as a tragic hero. At the clip, it was common pattern for the Italian city states to hold a alien, with proved military capablenesss, functioning as the caput of their Army. Othello, an African Moor of baronial birth, is merely such a character and held the highest superior military place as Governor-General of Cyprus. The metropolis of Cyprus was a city state in the great province of Venice. His rubric entirely, Governor-General, exudes an air of aristocracy, assurance, and strength. It defines person who is held in enormously high regard by the people of Venice. During Act 1, Scene 3, the Duke and a few Senators are discoursing issues around a tabular array when Othello enters the room. It # 8217 ; s clear that Othello is held in high regard when, as he enters, one of the senators provinces? Here comes Barbantio and the valorous Moor? ( 47 ) . Othello # 8217 ; s assurance in himself, another of his positive properties, is clearly portrayed as he defends himself and his recent matrimony to Desdemon a, the girl of the Venetian Senator Barbantio. In his defence, he associates himself with one of the? great 1s? of the universe. He besides demonstrates assurance in himself and his actions when Barbantio, Desdemona # 8217 ; s outraged male parent, accuses the Moor of witchery. His stature, that of a tall, dark, African Moor, combined with his personal magnetic attraction, help him in deriving the regard and commitment of the Venetian people and its senators. The regard of the people is brought Forth in Act 1, Scene 2, when Montano, the Governor of Cyprus, is expecting the reaching of Othello # 8217 ; s ship, following a strong storm at sea, and comments he has # 8220 ; served him # 8217 ; and the adult male [ Othello ] commands/ Like a full soldier # 8221 ; ( 35-36 ) . He besides refers to him as the # 8220 ; weather Othello # 8221 ; ( 38 ) . Othello is besides held in awe by his work forces, the soldiers, and throughout the drama is referred to as a # 8220 ; captain # 822 1 ; , a term carried over from Roman times which depicts a commanding officer of a company of work forces, or a so called # 8220 ; soldiers? soldier # 8221 ; . He is a proved leader of work forces and known for his military cognition and accomplishments. His soldierlike ways are a consequence of functioning in some signifier of military capacity since the early age of seven. Dignity, bravery, a strong belief in faith, self control and sound jud~ment are a few of Othello # 8217 ; s other positive properties portrayed in the drama. The author, A.C. Bradley characterizes him as a # 8220 ; truly admirable character, of epic stature, model ego control, and wonderfiil imaginativeness # 8230 ; # 8221 ; ( Mehl, Dieter, Shakespeare # 8217 ; s Calamities: An Introduction, [ New York, Cambridge University Press, 1986 ] page 66 ) . His assurance in himself and his bravery are clearly apparent when Othello makes a base before Barbantio, Roderigo and Iago, when following the pulling of the ir blades, Othello, as opposed to retreating in the face of danger twits # 8220 ; Keep up your bright blades, for the dew will corrode them # 8221 ; ( 59-60 ) . Shakespeare continues to portray Othello as a good respected Lord throughout his drama, from get downing to stop. Shakespeare besides shows a soft side when he displays Othello # 8217 ; s love and assurance in his married woman Desdemona. In Act 1 Scene 3, Othello entrusts his married woman to the attention of another gentleman and his married woman as he must travel off to war in Cyprus. The entrusted adult male and his married woman go on to be his good friend lago and his married woman Emila. Othello displays his trust and assurance in both his married woman and his ensign [ Iago ] when he comments to Iago # 8220 ; to his [ Iago ] conveyance I assign my married woman # 8221 ; ( 286 ) . As you move through the drama, Shakespeare intriguingly begins to demo Othello # 8217 ; s mistakes and negative character traits, wh ich finally lead to his devastation. His place as Governor-General, the commitment from both the people of Venice and his soldiers and his assurance in himself can wholly be considered major subscribers to his overall negative character defects. In other words his positive facets are responsible for conveying out his negative side, his defects in character. His flaws include his all excessively trustful nature and his eventual insecurities in himself that arise in the signifier of green-eyed monster for his married woman Desdemonia. These defects begin to come up following his determination to choose Cassio, as opposed to Iago, as his lieutenant, his 2nd in bid. He did so because he felt Cassio was good versed in the military scientific disciplines and Iago had simply proven himself on the battleground as a warrior, non needfully a leader. Surprising, Othello subsequently releases Cassio from his place as lieutenant following his [ Cassio ] battle with Roderigo in which Montago is w ounded after seeking to halt the battle. All of this serves as simply one of the consequences of Iago # 8217 ; s retaliation and his gambit to destruct Othello and all those associated with him. Iago is really consumed with the choler, retribution and will to destruct Othello. On a good note Cassio is once more placed in the graces of good and is appointed as the honest Governor of Cyprus. Othello # 8217 ; s determination to take Cassio Fosters a deep bitterness in the eyes of Iago, his one clip good friend and intimate. Iago convinces Roderigo, a good respected Venetian who is infatuated with Brabantio # 8217 ; s girl Desdemona, that if paid sufficiency he will finally tumble the new hubby Othello, and in bend make Desdemona available to the love of Roderigo. Both of these character defects finally lead to the ruin of Othello, this externally baronial, confident and strong hero. It # 8217 ; s in Act 3, Scene 3, the # 8220 ; enticement scene # 8221 ; , that the turning point i n this romantic calamity appears. It is really on the beac H, following the storm at sea, while all are expecting the great Othello’s return by ship, Iago notices a strong relationship between Cassio and Desdemona as they are keeping a conversation. Iago’s secret plan to destruct Othello unfolds and he plans to portray Desdemona as an unfaithful married woman, a married woman holding an matter with Cassio. Iago’s program evolves farther and he gets his first gap following the portion when Desdemona pleads for Cassio’s return to the place of lieutenant in Othello’s Army. Iago implants the seed about Cassio’s and Desdemona’s relationship. Othello demands cogent evidence of the supposed torrid matter out of his enormous love for his married woman Iago lies and schemes his manner out the conversation and continues on his gambit of devastation. Othello’s swearing nature, his greatest character mistake, appears throughout the drama but nowhere is it more apparent than in the â€Å"temptation scene† , Act 3 Scene 3, when turn toing Iago he states â€Å"I know thou’rt full of love and honestness, and weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them breath..† ( 118-119 ) . His religion in Iago is once more ironically depicted in Act 5, Scene 1 when he [ Othello ] states â€Å"O brave Iago, honest and merely, that hast such baronial sense of thy friend’s incorrect [ Cassio s alleged seduction of Desdemona ) ! Thou teachest me ( 31-33 ) . This statement follows Othello s slaying of this married woman Desdemona, and goes to demo that Othello had faith in the misanthropic Iago even after lago s program had been successfully executed by the unwittingly naif Othello. Othello s 2nd most noticeable character defect is that of green-eyed monster. His jealousy evolves from Iago s fallacious programs. One ground why some readers think Othello is easy covetous is that they wholly misinterpret him in the early portion of this scene [ Act 3, Scen e 3 ] . They fancy that he is alarmed and leery the minute he hears Iago murmur â€Å"Ha! I like non that† , as he sees Cassio go forthing with Desdemona† ( 35 ) . But, in fact, it takes a long clip for Iago to excite surprise, wonder, and them grave concern – by no agency yet covetous – even about Cassio, and it is still longer before Othello understands that Iago is proposing uncertainties about Desdemona excessively. ( Wronged in 143 surely does non mention to her, as 154 and 162 show ) ? Bradley, A.C. , Shakespearean Tragedy, 3rd edition, New York, St. Martin Press, 1992 ] , page 397 ) . It’s field to see his love for Desdemona is really strong and he doesn’t lose religion in himself and his love so easy. However, subsequently so strong becomes his green-eyed monster that it leads him astray from his old positive traits of assurance in himself, unagitated demeanour in stressfbl times and his abilities to do sound opinions. In one of his l ast addresss to Desdemona in Act 3, Scene 3, Othello chides himself for going angry with his married woman and following her going comments to himself â€Å"Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my psyche / but I do love thee! And whom I love thee non, / Chaos is come again† ( 90-91 ) . His statement proves Iago’s program is working and Othello’s’ trust in him [ Iago ] will non waver. Othello is clearly emanating stabs of green-eyed monster here, he is hurt and his agony is apparent. He one time held himself among the â€Å"great ones† ( 273 ) yet now his love is destroyed and is cursed by a â€Å"destiny unshunnable† ( 275 ) . The turning point in the drama is here and the terminal will continue fleetly from this point. The terminal nears as Othello’s portrayal of himself is weakened. â€Å"†¦the concluding Othello is non a reasonably sight to watch†¦ See his whimpering, his refusal to be himself, his uncontrolled screaming.â €  ( Kirschbaum, Leo, â€Å"The Modern Othello† , ( reprinted in English Literary History II, ( [ Dec 1994 ] pages 283-296 ) . He now sees himself as a adult male deceived, by both Desdemona and Cassio, a adult male full of green-eyed monster, and a adult male whose award is now in inquiry. Even as the concluding climatic slaying takes topographic point Othello deceives himself by stating himself it is his responsibility to kill her, it is non an act of retaliation. His mythology in killing her is â€Å"†¦she must decease, else she’ll betray more men† ( Act 5, Scene 2, line 6 ) . â€Å"The slaying of Desdemona acts out the concluding devastation in Othello himself of all the telling powers of love, of trust, of the bond between human beings† . ( Bloom, Harold, Modern Critical Views, William Shakespeare The Tragedies, New York, Chelsea House Publishers, c1985 ] , page 85 ) . Obviously Othello portrays the features of a? hero? as defined by Aristotl e. He clearly was a adult male of aristocracy, of baronial character and held in a really high estate. He began in this celebrated drama by exposing all those positive traits which adult male continues to seek for in order to carry through a long and happy life. They included the ability to unfeignedly love and swear his fellow man/woman, his artlessness, his spiritual background, his ego control, sound judgement and assurance in his inner self as a human being. All these traits rapidly came crashing down because of character defects in other people such as fraudulence, fraud, seffishness, hatred and a deep desire for retaliation. Following Othello’s trust for his good friend Iago he clearly demonstrated defects in the signifiers of bad judgements, green-eyed monster, loss of ego control and his deficiency of ego assurance in himself All this finally led to the slaying of the married woman he continued to love through the terminal and his ain eventual ego inflicted decease. H is fllll from high to low estate is clearly seeable. Shakespeare depicted all these events in a instead short, deep, extremely emotional, passionate, intense drama. Sheakspeare’s ability to develop such deep emotional word pictures remains alone in modern universe. Bibliography Bibliography Shakespeare, William, # 8220 ; Othello, the Moor of Venice # 8221 ; ( reprinted in Lawrence Perrine and Thomas R. Arp, Literature: Structure Sound and Sense, 6th edition Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1993 ] . Hubele, Donald, M.A. , ( c1989, revised 1992 ) . Student Videotape Course Worktext for Composition and Literature. School of Lifelong Learning, Liberty University, Publications Division. Mehl, Dieter, Shakespeare # 8217 ; s Calamities: An Introduction, New York, Cambridge University Press, 1986 Bradley, A.C. , Shakespearean Tragedy, 3rd edition, ( [ New York, St. Martin Press, 1992 ] , page 397 ) . Kirschbaum, Leo, ? The Modern Othello? , ( reprinted in English Literary History II, ( [ Dec 1994 ] pages 283-296 ) Bradley, A.C. , Shakespearean Tragedy, 3rd edition, New York, St. Martin Press, 1992.