Is Othello a Noble Hero or a Credulous Fool?

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Is Othello a Noble Hero or a Credulous Fool?

Othello is in many ways a noble hero, but at the same time he can be foolish. It’s difficult to distinguish which one he is, because throughout the play there’s evidence that he is both. We cannot deny his heroicness, as he is a black man who thrives in a society dominated by white people – respected by many and a revered lieutenant and soldier. It’s also easy to admire him because of his defiance of the typical stereotypes that were associated with black people; savage and uneducated. However, we can see that he is an excellent orator and can often be witty. He is a credulous fool at the same time though, because he shows naivety – lacking any form of cynicism towards Iago’s claims, and in the end, he is manipulated into killing his wife and himself.

At the opening of the play, we can see that Othello is incredibly noble. Despite criticisms from Brabantio regarding his daughter, Othello is able to show the audience three incredibly noble qualities: his intelligence, his ability to earn respect amongst high authorities, and his unwavering composure amidst rather serious accusations. Almost immediately after swords have been drawn against him, Othello coolly says, ‘keep up your bright swords for the due shall rust them’. This comment is not only clever, but it also shows the audience his poetic style of speaking, Shakespeare moulds the character of Othello in such a way that he speaks almost romantically during confrontation, which dramatically juxtaposes Brabantio’s strident, ‘Down with him, thief!’. When put on trial, the Duke, (who of course, has a symbolic representation of the moral voice in Venice) states to Brabantio, ‘your son-in-law is far more fair than black’. This shows the audience an objective analysis of Othello’s character, showing the audience how incredibly noble Othello is.

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Othello’s language is a central part of his nobility. He often speaks in a calm and measured way, with excellent delivery. Even Iago, a man hell-bent on destroying Othello, admits that Othello has a ‘bombast circumstance’. Othello’s self-dramatised and impassioned language makes him sound important and heroic – so much so that apparently, when talking to Desdemona, ‘she gave [him] for [his] pains a world of sighs’. Othello’s ability to rouse the emotions of the people he meets shows his ability to connect to people on an emotional level, which is a very noble quality.

Othello’s lack of cynicism, and ...

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This is a well-structured essay which contains the makings of some thoughtful arguments. Generally expression is fluent and concise. However, the arguments made are not backed by sufficient or always relevant textual references and analysis which weakens the overall effect.