A hero of tragedy must evoke the audiences with a sense of pity and fear." Discuss in relation to Othello

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It is often said that “A hero of tragedy must evoke the audiences with a sense of pity and fear." Discuss in relation to Othello. 

Othello fulfils the criteria of a domestic tragedy as it focus on the marital relationship between Othello and his wife, Desdemona. Shakespeare follows patterns of Aristotle’s theory of tragedy which enables him to elicit “pity” and “fear”. For example the tragic hero is a man of noble rank, he reaches pinnacle of happiness and worldly success. In Act II, with his position as commander of Cyprus and reunion with his wife Desdemona: Othello proclaims to Desdemona and those gathered in Cyprus:

“If I were to die to die,

‘Twere now to be most happy; ( Act II.i.181-182)

His hyperbolic speech conveys Othello’s happiness, as it is at its peak at this point in the play. His tragic flaw however, leads to reversal of fortune (peripeteia). Othello’s tragic flaw is manifested as his gullibility, by his “free and open nature”, that Iago exploits to bring about Othello’s down fall, creating “pity” and “fear” which is elicited during the play. After Othello’s death, order is restored in the end, leaving the audiences to experience catharsis and feel a sense of loss, just as Aristotle intended it to be.

The portrayal of Othello in Act I is juxtaposed to the Othello in Act III and IV, he is very different, he is portrayed as a physical and psychological wreck. Whereas in Act, Othello is afforded epithets, such as “valiant” and “noble moor": the use of the hyperbole creates a heroic tone, enabling the audience to identify Othello as the tragic hero. Othello fits the first criteria of an Aristotle theory of tragedy, a man of noble character, in Act I and II. However through Iago’s gulling, Othello begins to lose control, which is shown through his language “Zounds.” He becomes crude in his language like Iago. He exclaims “Goats and Monkey” echoing Iago’s earlier words:

“ Were they as prime as goats, as hot as moneys,

As salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross

As ignorance made drunk.

This portrays Othello’s peripeteia, following his harmatia ; his trust in the opportunist Iago which elicits “pity and fear”. The fact Othello uses taboo blasphemous language reflects the Jacobean perception of typical moor. At this point on stage, Shakespeare is conveying the stereotypical image of moor; a savage black man. One could say Shakespeare was using such a portrayal to please and entertain his racist audience. Or Shakespeare’s purpose could have been to educate his audience about how Othello’s tragic flaw can cause jealousy to unravel the “green eyed –monster”, which consumes Othello’s noble character and evokes “pity” and “fear”. As Othello deteriorates, his jealousy, anger and subsequent thirst for revenge is reflected in his language. Othello's own words seem to prophesy his downfall:

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…perdition catch my soul

But I do love thee! And when I love thee not .

Chaos is come again., III.3.90-92)

This is the first time Othello’s admitted vulnerability to Iago, the Machiavellian. At this point Othello loves Desdemona unequivocally but ironically his words foreshadow the “Chaos” to come. The audience know Iago’ has hatched a plan to “turn her virtue into, pitch” and “emesh them all” (II.iii.329) .This rising fear, prepares the audience to predict inevitable events “chaos.” Act III scene iii, also known as temptation scene; it is here that Othello begins to disintegrate; his peripeteia comes with the ...

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