Craig Agutter 13Rh Othello Essay 9/11/03
Discuss the view that Othello is too stupid to be a tragic hero.
Othello, the eponymous hero with a fatal flaw in Shakespeare’s play, falls from grace through circumstances engineered by the class manipulator, Iago, arguably his most trusted aide. Whilst he fits the prerequisite for a tragic hero in Shakespearian tragedy, the dynamics of the deceit in which Othello finds himself entwined reveal a flaw closer to stupidity than naivety or jealousy. His willingness to believe Iago’s unsubstantiated lies betray the intelligence the audience expect of Othello, so the notion that he is too stupid to be a tragic hero bears some truth.
The first appearance of Othello in the play comes during a heated moment as Brabantio, instigated by Iago and Roderigo, confronts him over Othello’s involvement with his daughter, Desdemona. Othello’s actions here define his character for the audience and his calm reluctance to accept that he has done anything wrong seems testament to his character - “Not I: I must be found. My parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly…”. This demonstrates that he has a soldier’s mentality; he will either fall or be the victor. As can be seen later in the play, this serves to amplify the crippling jealousy aroused by Iago’s revelations. However, upon the audience’s first encounter with Othello, he appears to be intelligent in the way he manages the situation and the last words of Brabantio, “She has deceived her father, and may thee”, obviously make an impression as they resonate in his actions further on.