Othello - A tragic hero

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Othello As A Tragic Hero                                 Othello – William Shakespeare

Aristotle portrays the tragic hero as one who embodies boldly his or her culture or state. He depicts a tragic hero to as ‘somebody’ who’s psyche/soul is developed through interaction with the society they live in. from this we can gather that Othello is a very good example of a tragic hero; he is an outsider in the Venetian society but he integrates more fully than anybody else from his original society and background. A main common factor in a tragedy, the protagonist, is of a high standing that faces either an internal or external opposing force.

        “Tragedy is the imitation of an action; and an action implies personal agents, who         necessarily possess certain distinctive qualities both of character and thought; for it is by         these that we qualify action themselves, and these – thought and character – are the two         natural causes from which actions spring, and on actions, again all success or failure         depends…”

The tragedy of Othello is based upon aspects of an extract from Aristotle’s Poetics quoted above. In Poetics Aristotle expresses the requirement to create a ‘tragic hero’ in all forms of tragedy. He further emphasizes the need of a hamartia or fatal flaw which ultimately leads to the tragic heroes’ downfall. In Othello, the protagonist, Othello, can be acknowledged as a classic tragic hero who is opposed by the strong force of his innate naivety and excessive trust as the major flaws in his otherwise virtuous character. Othello’s character disintegrates before our very eyes through the brisk development of the play and as a result of the growth of the ‘green-eyed monster’ we in the end are struck by a powerful catharsis; despite Othello’s wrongdoings, we feel pity for him and his misfortune.

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However over the last century the views of two critics have been remarkably influential. A.C. Bradley believes that Othello “has played the hero and borne a charmed life…” and describes him as “a great man… conscious of his own worth…”. We believe Othello’s nobility and graciousness from the constant references made to him; for example “Valiant Othello…” (I.iii.49) by a good number of characters. Evidently Othello is well respected and looked up to, for this reason he must possess elements of decency. This understanding of Othello is strengthened when Shakespeare compares him with Christ, when “Brabantio, Roderigo, with Officers and ...

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