Othello Essays -- essays research papers

Othellos stature as a tragical hero is severely compromised by the alacrity with which he turns against his married woman, and by his failure to achieve any real self knowledgeTo what extent do you agree?Othellos stature as a tragic hero is severely compromised by the speed and ease with which he turns against his wife, and by his failure to achieve any real self knowledge. In the Shakespearian tragedy of Othello, we witness the character of Othello fall from a position of control in Venetian society due to a combination of diverse reasons. Othello has a deep self-love for himself, and it is because of this he turns against his wife Desdemona with a great speed and ease. A traditional tragic hero portrays four major characteristics firstly, the tragic hero is a figure of high stand/esteem in the community secondly, there is an agency that leads to the fall of the hero whether within the hero himself or from an outside figure/source the third characteristic is a moment of self-rea lisation or self-awareness and the last characteristic is that the fall of the hero results in death. Othello is visualised as a well-respected citizen within the Venetian society. He can be seen as an intelligent and heroic military leader whose skill is indeed very valuable and necessary to the state and he knows this. His military success has promoted his position within Venetian society, and as a Moor within the white rule society, he has a strong desire to maintain his social standing, and is prepared to sacrifice anything which threatens his reputation, which leads to the eventual death of Desdemona. Othello is trusted by everyone in Venice being called, chivalric Othello and brave Othello and described as ...more fair than black (I, iii, 286). He has been given full martial and political command of Cyprus and is a figure of high standing and esteem within the Venetian community.Othellos flaw or weakness lies in his hubris, or exaggerated pride in himself, and he continual ly refers to it adage Let Brabantio do his spite, my services which I have done the signiory / Shall out-tongue his complaints... (I, ii, 17-19) and that ...his parts, his title, and his perfect soul / Shall manifest him rightly... (I, ii, 31-32). It is due to his obsession with his pride, his self-esteem and his self image which leads to his overtaking of self control and hi... ...the sweetest innocent / That did eer did lift up eye (V, ii, 197-198), that she was false, and rather than realising his weaknesses and flaws, he takes the blame away from himself motto the murder was mean by fate ...O ill-stared wench.. After he has committed the crime, Othello makes sure that he is remembered as the hero he believed himself to be, once again his hubris encompassing him, saying...I have done the state some service and they knowt...Speak of me as I am nothing extenuate,Nor set down aught in malice...speakOf one that loved not wisely, but too wellOf one not easily jealous but, being w rought,Perplexed in the extreme... (V, ii, 335-342).Othellos never accepts his tragic flaw as self-knowledge, nor does he accept responsibility for the death of his innocent wife Desdemona.Othello is unable to see himself as a member of the Venetian society, and it is the tension between Othellos victimisation at the hands of a foreign culture and his own willingness to torment himself along with the alacrity with which he turns against his wife and his failure to achieve self-knowledge which severely compromise Othellos stature as a tragic hero.