Othello Essay - 1172 Words

Othello Essay William Shakespeare’s Othello tells a story of the tragic downfall of a man through jealousy and mistrust, influenced by the manipulative actions of another. Due to innumerable changes within society over time, it is inevitable that a wide range of critical interpretations and readings of the text will emerge. My personal interpretation of the play draws from the concepts of the traditional Aristotelian views of a tragedy. An Aristotelian interpretation concerns itself with whether Othello can be considered a true tragedy. The two main principles which determine whether a text can be labelled as a true tragedy include the plot and the characters. The first principle within an Aristotelian tragedy includes the idea†¦show more content†¦and the protagonist should be renowned and prosperous, so his change of fortune can be from good to bad ...† Despite being set in a society where black men were looked down upon, Othello is successfully categorised as the renowned and prosperous protagonist. As a noble moor and husband to the young fair Desdemona, his fortune changes from good to bad as the play progresses. His mistrust in Desdemona leads him to murdering her, thus losing something he loved so dearly. Aristotle also claims that â€Å"The protagonist will mistakenly bring about his own downfall – not because he is sinful or morally weak, but because he does not know enough.† This idea is also portrayed throughout the play. Othello’s downfall was not due to him being sinful or morally weak, but because he simply did not know enough. His promoting of Cassio led Iago to become jealous and ultimate ly led to Othello’s downfall. Due to his lack of knowledge, Othello also fell victim to Iago’s manipulative and cunning nature leading to his growing trust in Iago and the questioning of Desdemona’s loyalty. Also, another aspect of an Aristotelian tragedy is the term â€Å"hamartia†. Hamartia refers to a weakness or a mistake or more commonly as a tragic flaw. Othello’s hamartia is expressed clearly through the play. When Iago manipulates Othello into suspecting Desdemona of being unfaithful, his jealousy clouds his mind where it has come to the point where all he cares about is provingShow MoreRelatedEssay General Othello in Othello1267 Words   |  6 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare gave us a most moving drama in Othello. In this play we witness the demise of a â€Å"paragon† of a wife and a â€Å"valiant Moor†, Othello. Let us consider the Moor in detail, with professional critical input, in this essay. From the text of the play a number of clues can be gleaned which round out the description of the general. In William Shakespeare: The Tragedies, Paul A. Jorgensen describes the general in Othello: Though scarcely the â€Å"barbarian† (1.3.353) he is calledRead More Shakespeares Othello - Desdemona in Othello Essay1759 Words   |  8 PagesDesdemona in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello, the wife of the protagonist is Desdemona. She is a lovely, intelligent, wholesome and pious person. This essay will analyze her.    In Act 1 Scene1, Iago persuades the rejected suitor of Desdemona, Roderigo, to accompany him to the home of Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, in the middle of the night. Once there the two awaken him with loud shouts about his daughter’s elopement with Othello. In response to Iago’sRead MoreEssay on The Personality of Othello1053 Words   |  5 PagesThe Personality of Othello   Ã‚  Ã‚   Othello’s speech to Brabantio and the Duke in Act 1, Scene 3 is of major importance in describing Othello’s personality. 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The women in Othello each createRead MoreLove in Othello Essay734 Words   |  3 PagesLove in Othello However strong the emotional attitude of prejudices may be in Othello, Love is the most powerful emotion and ironically the emotion that leads to the most vulnerability. Loves of all kinds are tested in the tragedy and ultimately all fail to rectify the horrible situation. Marital love for Othello and Desdemona serve as both a heaven and a hell on earth. As Othello portrays by saying, If I were now to die Twere now to be most happy; for I fear My soul hath her contentRead More Othello: Themes Essay1946 Words   |  8 PagesOthello: Themes  Ã‚        Ã‚   How many themes course through the Shakespearean tragedy Othello? Let us in this essay analyze the variety and depth of the themes in this play.    Lily B. Campbell in Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes indicates that hate is the theme on which this play opens:    It is then on a theme of hate that the play opens. It is a hate of inveterate anger. It is a hate that is bound up with envy. Othello has preferred to be his lieutenant a military theorist, one MichaelRead More Sexism in Othello Essay2452 Words   |  10 PagesOthello: the Unquestionable Sexism  Ã‚        Ã‚   Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello features sexism as regular fare – initially from Brabantio and Iago, and finally from Othello. Let us in this essay explore the occurrences and severity of sexism in the drama.    In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne implicates Iago in sexism. He is one who is almost incapable of any other perspective on women than a sexist one:    Iago’s worry that he cannot do what DesdemonaRead More othello Essay545 Words   |  3 Pages jealousy In the play Othello, jealousy is shown to be very evident through the actions of the characters. Jealousy is an emotion that everyone shares, and it is ultimately responsible for the tragic ending of the play. Everyone feels jealous at certain times of their lives, and this feeling can cause people to do irrational things. This human emotion also shows people to be weak in the sense that they are never happy with what they have. Shakespeare shows through Othello, Iago, Roderigo, and BrabantioRead MoreEssay Othello: the Abnormal1809 Words   |  8 PagesOthello: the Abnormal Five Works Citednbsp;nbsp;nbsp; William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello presents to the audience a very abnormal character in the person of Iago. Also can one classify the epileptic seizure of Othello as normal? Let us in this essay consider the abnormal in the play. The abnormal behavior of the ancient is partly rooted in his misogynism. In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne implicates Iago in sexism. He is one who is almost incapable of