Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero - 1517 Words

Some may wonder, who is Aristotle and why does he label Shakespeare’s play, Othello, as a tragedy? Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who defines Shakespeare’s character, Othello, as a tragic hero. Many parts in Othello tell the readers that the play is a tragedy, such as jealousy, arguing, and death, which makes the play famous and delightful to read. Aristotle has identified many common traits or characteristics that a tragic hero requires. In Shakespeare s play, Aristotle defines many features that cause the characters to make unwise decisions. Full of great tragedy, the play is about a man named Othello who marries a young woman, Desdemona. However, Iago gets jealous that Desdemona and Othello are married, and the couple†¦show more content†¦A tragedy is a disagreement that ends up being resolved and brings out the sense of pity and fear. This play touches the audience s emotions, making the readers feel a sense of pity, fear, and sadness through out the whole play. The play communicates a sense of pity for Cassio, who is treated so hatefully by Iago, as well as pity for Othello. This generates a feeling of pity and fear in the audience by the way the characters are treated by Iago. Shakespeare uses a great amount of tragedy throughout the play. A tragic story needs â€Å"performers and audiences to put themselves in the places of persons quite unlike themselves† (â€Å"Greek Drama†). In Othello, Aristotle defines many areas throughout the play as a tragedy. He describes many qualities that are displayed throughout the play like disloyalty, uncertainty, and making unwise decisions. In the tragedy, people speak, think, and conduct themselves differently than people today (â€Å"Thinking about Greek Tragedy†). Shakespeare wrote the tragedy in English, but differently than how people speak English today. Now, people do not think, speak, and behave the same as they did when Shakespeare wrote the play. However, Aristotle also recognizes that â€Å"the protagonist, the hero or chief character of a tragedy, is a person ofShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1323 Words   |  6 PagesIn literature tragic heroes can be defined as a character that makes a flawed judgment that inevitably leads to their own demise. William Shakespeare’s Othello the Moore of Venice is a play about a heroic individual that goes through a tragic event based on his decisions throughout the play. Many of the characters that Shakespeare presents in his plays reveal attitudes and value that is reflective of both the Elizabethan society in sixteenth century England and William Shakespeare; these values areRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1322 Words   |  6 PagesA hero usually a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities (Dictionary.com). In life, heroes will arise whenever they are needed. It may be a tall man that wears a cape and has super powers. As a matter of fact it may be the everyday heroes that are seen giving a homeless man a coffee or helping an old lady cross the street. It may be the heroes that are see in movies and graphic novels, rescuing the princess from her tower or leading their countryRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Shakespeare s Othello1613 Words   |  7 Pagesfocus on a tragic hero who possesses a flaw which ultimately leads to their downfall. In fact, Aristotle prescribes the three most important points to any tragedy to be hamartia, a tragic flaw in the tragic hero’s character that brings about his downfall, catharsis, a purgation of the audience’s emotions and anagnorisis, the character’s revelation of some fact not previously realized. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, Othello is an excellent example of an Aristotelian tragic hero. He was a characterRead MoreEssay on The Tragic Hero in William Shakespeare ´s Othello617 Word s   |  3 PagesTragic heroes tend to have very pre-determined paths; usually making the most virtuous of characters destined to suffer. The hamartia or ‘tragic flaw’ is the typical reason the hero falls. Shakespeare was noted to be one of the best writers of tragedies, one of his most prominent to be Othello. In Othello, we find a number of tragic flaws two including pride and ambition. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, pride and ambition are used to identify the outcomes for the main characters in the playRead MoreOthello As A Tragic Hero872 Words   |  4 PagesVenice, Othello is transformed into a crazy, senseless man. William Shakespeare uses the idea of a tragic hero in almost all of his dramas. A tragic hero can be described as a person of high status who is neither completely good nor completely evil, possesses a tragic flaw, and leaves this flaw to be the reason for his/her downfall. Othello believes he can trust one of his soldiers, Iago, who i s determined to seek revenge on Othello for not promoting him to be a lieutenant. Othellorsquo;s temperRead MoreOthello is Not a Tragic Hero Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesOthello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is â€Å"Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?† Most readers are aware of the many famous deaths or acts of death within the Shakespearean plays. And when the main characters die in Shakespeare’s plays, indeedRead MoreTragedy In Shakespeares Othello1519 Words   |  7 Pagesclassic tragedy. This can be observed through action as seen in Shakespeare’s Othello. Shakespeare’s play Othello, most closely resembles the Greek philosopher’s theory of tragedy that achieves Aristotle s four unities (simplify this sentence): Hamartia, Peripetia, Anagnorisis and Catharsism. With Shakespeare adapting Aristotle’s theory of tragedy and its unities, it enables the playwright to present Othello as the tragic hero of the play that drives the narrative rather than Machiavellian Iago. AudiencesRead MoreThe Tragic Flaw Of Shakespeare s Othello1108 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Othello† tragedy, written by Williame Shakespeare, is an excellent example of Renaissance humanism. Tragedy is a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw. Othello was brought down by a fatal fault jealousy in his character. Shakespeare s other great tragedies -- Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear -- deal with issues that affect the well-being of entire nations, whereas Othello is a tragedy withRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare Essay1203 Words   |  5 PagesDramatic play entitled Othello is an unusual story full of jealousy, dark misunderstandings, lies, and regrets. Following Aristotle s definition of a true tragedy, where does the tale of Othello fall? Is Othello too dramatic too be considered a tragedy or does it barely fall along the lines of tragic? Shakespeare s innovation with poetry and dramatic plays have been recognized by critics and playgoers throughout the centuries (Lee,1899). The Bard s play entitled Othello, is among some of the mostRead MoreThe Tragic Tragedy Of William Shakespeare s Othello1523 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle’s definition fits perfectly with William Shakespeare epic play, Othello. The famous Shakespeare play is about the downfall of a Moorish general who expresses jealousy and murder. Othello was an amazing general for the Venice army, but his downfall cost him everything he loved so dearly. He killed his own wife because he believes Iago’s lies about her cheating on him. His beliefs in Iago cost him everything that is precious to him. Othello can be seen as a great tragedy, and the play filled