Shakespeare, at first, shows us the importance and qualities that the Othello posses. He is shown to be calm and polite. For example, when Iago pretends that Roderigo’s insults against the Moor almost provoked him to attack the young man, Othello is pleased that the matter did not come to blows-“Tis better as it is.” Without being vainglorious, he realizes his own worth-“My services which I have done the signiory shall our tongue his complaints” (Brabantio’s). As a result, our first view of Othello is of a calm man who is in complete control of himself nor does he seem to be the “lascivious Moor” that Iago described in the previous scene.
Every Shakespearean hero has a tragic flaw, which is brought about by circumstance. Othello’s fatal flaw is his jealousy, which is intensified by Iago’s evil and deceitfulness. Iago manages to turn a man who loves his wife dearly into a paranoid and cold-blooded murderer. However, it is vital for us, the reader, to see the extent of their opposite characteristics, to help us to redeem Othello’s character at the end of the play, and to sympathise with him. Iago takes the opportunity to strengthen Othello’s views of honesty and trust towards him by saying ironically: “Men should be what they seem”, this reflects Iago’s ability to work upon one of the tragic flaws of Othello. Othello is easily flawed as he has a tendency to take everything he sees and everything he is told at face value without questioning the circumstances. Othello may be seen as a noble and heroic figure that brings about his own destruction by one fatal error of judgement, or at the other extreme as little more than an arrogant and proud figure who, like Roderigo, is deceived by a clever and devious liar.
Shakespeare’s tragic hero’s dying words: “loved not wisely, but too well”, reflects the downfall of the fated general Othello. From the beginning of the tragedy, Othello is portrayed as a poor judge of character, which is shown by his inability to distinguish fact from fiction, which fuels his insane jealousy. Othello’s love for Desdemona once a harmless obsession soon becomes possessive and ultimately fatal. Othello’s mental instability is due to all the consuming emotions, which took over his sense of reason and logic. He becomes outraged, consumed with anger and jealousy. He realises all too late that he did not have concrete evidence of Desdemona’s guilt. The jealousy blinded him and restricted him from acknowledging the truth. His self-recognition redeems him somewhat at the close of the play, as he admits his wrong -doing.