Introduction
There are parallels between the Aristotelian drama, the tragic hero in the Antique sense of this notion, and the play by William Shakespeare, “Othello, the Moor of Venice.” Its main protagonist is the example of the tragic hero who arouses mixed emotions in the audience. Othello’s downfall is the result of the manipulations of Iago, who makes him believe that Desdemona cheats on him, and considering the lies is the example of the tragic mistake in this play. In other words, Othello can be described as the victim of the adverse circumstances, not the villain, which makes them correspond to the notion of the tragic hero.
Discussion
The Aristotelian drama consists of several vital elements that determine the play’s plot and structure. It features the theme of the plot, the character description, the theme or the thought, the diction that reflects the language the author uses, the spectacle or the location of the actions, and the song, which corresponds to the rhythm of the speech (Johnson, Arp 1252-1253). These elements allow the author to show the main protagonist’s conflict and tragic downfall, which leads to the audience’s emotional purification or catharsis (Johnson, Arp 1252-1253). The tragic mistake is called “harmatia” in Aristotle’s “Poetics” (Wilson 91). Shakespeare’s “Othello” features all elements of the Aristotelian tragedy: the drama shows the destruction of the tragic hero’s life that happens due to the fatal coincidence, manipulation, and flaw in the hero’s character. The play’s structure allows the audience to see the moment of the downfall and the reasons that lead to the tragedy, which are the key issues in achieving moral purification.
It is correct to label Othello a “tragic hero” that correlates with the Aristotelian views on tragedy. According to the doctrine articulated by the Antique philosopher, a tragic hero is respected by most people in the community due to their positive traits of character and behavior. Their actions and thoughts are characterized by high ethical standards, which make them exceptional among other members of society. At the same time, they have one minor character trait: their weaknesses, leading to the tragic mistake they make in their lives. At the end of the play, the tragic hero loses everything because of a minor error, and the audience tends to think that it was a fatal coincidence that was impossible for the person to avoid (Metzger 116). In all cases, the tragic hero is an outstanding individual with high moral worth, but the mistake and evil circumstances lead to the dramatic end.
Othello’s character is an example of a tragic hero, as his description in the play shows. He is a man of honor whose courage is not doubted by most people. Society respects him even though he is a stranger, and his racial difference does not make him an outcast. The fact that Othello manages to gain respect and social position in the European society, where he was the odd element due to his ethnic background and faith, illustrates the idea that he was an outstanding personality (Johnson, Arp 1252). At the same time, there are evil external forces that manipulate to lead Othello to the fatal mistake, which corresponds to the Aristotelian views on the tragic hero. In the play by Shakespeare, Iago is jealous of Othello’s success, and he knows about the flaw of Othello’s character to use them against him. Iago successfully sees that Othello cannot control his emotions, especially rage and jealousy, and he loves his wife, Desdemona. Shakespeare describes Othello as a man “of a constant loving, noble nature and will prove to Desdemona A most dear husband” (Shakespeare). In other words, Othello’s marriage is initially based on mutual love, and Othello is the man worthy of respect. The attempts of Iago to persuade Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful and has the lover make the plan of Othello’s downfall successful. The man cannot control his rage and kills his wife at the end of the play, which shows that he cannot cope with the tragic flaw of his character. This moment becomes the fatal error Othello makes, culminating in the tragedy.
It is also necessary to state that Othello’s jealousy is connected with the feeling of insecurity. He was unsure that Desdemona loved him and that other people in his surroundings truly respected him. It was the result of the racist attitudes that were dominant in Medieval European society when the actions took place in the play (Young 76). The peculiar detail is that Desdemona’s presence makes Othello feel that his emotional state is stable. While the rest of the society refuses to acknowledge him as one of the equals due to his racial difference, Desdemona loves him (Young 78). Othello suffers when he understands that there is no possibility of reuniting with his wife, saying: “She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief Must be to loathe her. Oh, the curse of marriage That we can call these delicate creatures ours And not their appetites!” (Shakespeare). These words illustrate the emotional connection between Othello and Desdemona and emphasize the importance of the woman in Othello’s life. His overall insecurity caused by the comparative segregation from the rest of the community due to his ethnic and cultural background makes him highly dependent on one person (Lemon 103). Therefore, the feelings of Othello to Desdemona show his extreme vulnerability, which is the basis for the development of the tragic flaw and the tragic hero’s downfall.
Othello understands clearly that jealousy and the feeling of insecurity make him suffer, and these qualities are his significant weaknesses. He exclaims in the play: “Oh beware jealousy: it is the green-eyed which doth mock that which meet it, feed on. The cuckold lies in bliss” (Shakespeare). Therefore, as the typical tragic hero, Othello understands that he has weaknesses that he cannot overcome, which will become the reason for his dramatic downfall at the end of the play. Othello understands that his life is ruined after he killed Desdemona, and the play’s culmination emphasizes the protagonist’s tragic essence. Othello cries after he acknowledges that he has become the victim of manipulations and believed the lies Iago told him about Desdemona: “Whip me, ye devils, From the possession of this heavenly sight! Blow me about in winds, roast me in sulfur, Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!—Oh, Desdemona! Desdemona! dead! Oh! Oh!” (Shakespeare). These lines show that Othello suffers from his mistake and is the victim of evil circumstances. His moral principles and heroic character did not allow him to oppose the manipulations because he had a minor flaw in his personality. As a result, insecurity combined with jealousy of his wife contributed to the tragic downfall of Othello.
The peculiar detail is that Iago considers the positive traits of Othello’s character to be his weaknesses. Iago uses the high moral standards that Othello has as a means of manipulating him. For instance, Iago says: “[Othello] thinks men honest that but seem to be so” (Shakespeare). In other words, Iago understands that if Othello thinks about him as a friend, he would not doubt his words about Desdemona. In reality, this plan succeeded, and Othello could not imagine that Iago would lie to him and make everything possible to ruin Othello’s life. The contrast between Othello’s filthy reality and high moral standards emphasizes the tragic hero’s traits.
The use of various language styles allows Shakespeare to show the characters’ differences and emphasize the moral worth of Othello and Iago’s evil nature. For example, Othello speaks in simple language, making his claims clear and vivid to everyone who listens to him. Othello has nothing to hide in his life, and he publicly acknowledges that he has only two values: the love for his wife and his military service. Therefore, the simple language Othello uses reflects his straightforward character, which is part of the image of the tragic hero. Iago, in his turn, uses complicated phrases to express his thoughts, which is especially evident when he speaks to Othello. He says: “Good my lord, pardon me, though I am bound to every act of duty, I am not bound to that all slaves are free to. Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false…” (Shakespeare). These lines show that Iago tries to persuade Othello that he is the person who is worthy of trust, which is part of his initial plan of manipulation.
Conclusion
The literary merit of Shakespeare’s play is exceptional because it reflects all stages of the heroic downfall due to the manipulations of morally unworthy people. Othello is the example of the typical tragic hero whose life is destroyed because of a fatal mistake. Even though Othello is initially the respected man who shows positive character traits, the tragic accident leads to his gradual downfall. The author uses different means of literary expression, including the form of presentation, structure of the play, language, and character description, to emphasize Othello’s tragic flaw. The principles of the Aristotelian tragedy suppose that the noble character becomes the victim of the tragic accident and manipulation of others, which leads to the fatal mistake.
Works Cited
Johnson, Greg, Arp, Thomas R. Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. Cengage Learning, 2017.
Lemon, Rebecca. “Addiction and Possession in Othello.” Addiction and Devotion in Early Modern England, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018, pp. 103–35.
Metzger, Mary Janell. “Shakespearean Tragedy, Ethics, and Social Justice.” Teaching Social Justice Through Shakespeare: Why Renaissance Literature Matters Now, edited by Hillary Eklund and Wendy Beth Hyman, Edinburgh University Press, 2019, pp. 115–23.
Shakespeare, William. “Othello, the Moor of Venice.” Shakespeare.mit.edu, 2022.
Wilson, Jeffrey R. “Tragic Foundationalism.” Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal, vol. 52, no. 4, 2019, pp. 91–108.
Young, R. V. “The Racial ‘Other’ in The Merchant of Venice and Othello.” Shakespeare and the Idea of Western Civilization, Catholic University of America Press, 2022, pp. 76–103.