Aristotle described the need for the audience to experience pity and fear while watching a tragedy, explore and analyse the scene of Othello in which your feel these emotions are strong in the audience.

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Anna Chaudhry

Aristotle described the need for the audience to experience pity and fear while watching a tragedy, explore and analyse the scene of ‘Othello’ in which your feel these emotions are strong in the audience.

        Aristotle wrote in ‘Poetics’ that tragedy should contain ‘…incidents arousing pity and fear…’ and thus prove cathartic for an audience. Ideally catharsis should purge these emotions permitting the audience to have hope for there to be some re-alignment from the tragedy and thus provide a sense of resolution or justice, whereby a lesson is learnt. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) in ‘Othello’ (1604), explores the key concept of catharsis through the complex character of Othello; our tragic hero.

        However, Shakespeare ultimately does not let us reach catharsis making ‘Othello’ more compelling as a tragedy. Though Shakespeare categorically lets the audience feel emotions of pity and fear, particularly in Act Three, Scene Three, of ‘Othello’ where it becomes clear, that filled with envy, vanity and a desire for revenge, Iago starts the tragedy with his plan to convince Othello of his wife’s infidelity. Though courageous and noble, eventually, Othello allows himself to be duped establishing the scene as pivotal, because her we feel strong emotions of pity and fear by seeing Hamartia and the reversal of fortune in action.

        Iago is the villain of this tragedy possibly the most scandalous ever in Shakespearean history. But without Iago and his vindictive nature there would be no tragedy. What emphasises the emotions further is that the audience have known since Act One, Scene Three of Iago’s plans, therefore the dramatic irony that is at work develops our fear for the characters and circumstances by foreshadowing the tragedy about to take place:

“Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.”

        Shakespeare’s language here is metaphoric in describing Iago’s plan, it foreshadows the plan as devious and cruel. Iago’s long-term relationship with Othello has also made him conscious of Othello’s “free and open nature/ That thinks men honest…” and is attentive of Othello’s lack in understanding about the society; which is so full of jealousy, hatred and sin, making the plot for tragedy workable. By this he has cleverly developed the ideas to exploit Othello to the world in turn increasing the audience’s emotions of fear for what will happen to Othello as well as pity for the character who considers Iago a loyal friend. Iago’s manipulation starts when he voices an involuntary concern to Othello upon the sighting of Cassio departing from his wife furtively:

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“Hah? I like not that.”

        Commencing this Iago dismisses the subject persuading the character of Othello to be curious towards the situation; escalating the audience’s emotion of fear as to what Iago is trying to achieve. Iago’s language plays little effort and so it is evident that he has said nothing to get into trouble but just guides Othello into a hollow of tragedy, allowing the audience to pity for Othello.  And as Iago is lying, he stalls for time by mirroring Othello’s words, creating tension as the audience is desperate to make some progression in the plot:

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