Is Othello a Noble Hero or a Credulous Fool?

The first 200 words of this essay...

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.