Bloss1

AlexBloss
English2
Ms.McManigal
April24,2014
TheCrueltyofJealousy
Themanipulationcausedbyonecharacterin
TheTragedyofOthello
byWilliam
Shakespeareresultedinthedeathoffourofthemaincharacters.IagoisshowingPsychopathic
traitsbutnoonecanseeit,throughoutthebookheismanipulatingOthelloandputtingjealousy
intohishead.thejealousyescalatedandturnedintoragewhichresultedinhimmurderinghis
wife.AlthoughsomespeculatethatDesdemonaisthetragicherosheonlymeetstwoofthethree
requirementstobeatragichero.Othelloontheotherhandshowallthreequalitiesofatragic
hero.Heisanoblecharacter,heexperiencesadownturninfortunes,andhehasatragicflawthat
leadstohisdownfall.Desdemonadoesnothaveatragicflaw.
OthersmightsaythatDesdemonadoeshaveatragicflawandthatitissheisunabletobe
outspokenandconvinceOthellothatsheisnotawhore.Youcouldsaythatbutitisnottrueshe
tellsothellomultipletimeshewasjusttooconsumedwithrageandjealousy.Heronlyflawwas
beingtooloyaltoOthelloshesaidYourwife,mylordyourtrueandloyalwife.Shakespeare
4.2.3233
OthellofitsallthecriteriaofbeingatragicherounlikeDesdemona.Firstoffheisof
noblestatureandhighposition.ValiantOthello,wemuststraightemployyouagainstthe
generalenemyottomansaidbythedukeofVenice(1.3.4849).OthelloisaGeneraland

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commanderintheVenetianarmyandlatertheGovernorofCyprus.OthellosaidForthesearms
ofminehadsevenyearspithTillnowsomeninemoonswasted,theyhaveusedTheirdearest
actioninthetentedfield(1.3.8385).thisshowsheisanobleherohehasbeeninwarforseven
yearsandjustnowhashadtimetorest.thisconcludesthatOthelloisindeedanoblestatureand
highlypositionedalsoservedhonorablyinthewarforsevenyears,thusprovingthatOthello
livesuptothisfirsttragicherotrait.
Secondly,Othelloexperiencesadownturninhisfortunes.OMonstrous!monstrous
(3.3.42).thisisatthebeginningofhisdownturnoffortune.Thethoughtofjealousyhaspierced
hismind.OthellosaidFetchmemyhandkerchief!mymindmisgives(3.4.90).thisisthe
middlepartofhisdownfallthehandkerchiefisclearevidencethatsomethingisgoingon.What
isthisnoise?Notdead?....Ithatamcruelyetmerciful(5.2.8586).Thisisaftertheworstofhis
downturnhehasjustmurderedhiswifeDesdemona.Thisconcludesallfhismisfortunes
throughoutthebook,thisshowsthatheexhibitsthesecondtraitofatragichero.
Thelasttraitishavingatragicflaw,Othelloshowsthathehasaextremetragicflawheis
easilyconsumedbyjealousy.OthellosaidWhydidimarry?(3.3.24).thethoughtsof
Desdemonacheatingandjealousyismakinghimhavedoubtsabouthismarriage.Othellosaid,
I'lltearheralltopieces!(3.3425).Hisjealousyisturningintorageandheisthinking
irrationally.Othellosaid,Itistoolate!(5.2.83).ThisisbeforehemurdersDesdemonahis
mindisset,heisconsumedbytherageandnothingwillchangeit.ThisconcludesthatOthellos
tragicflawisjealousywhichledtothedeathofDesdemona.

OverallthishasconcludedthatOthelloisthetragichero.HeshowedheisNoble,
experiencedadownturninfortunes,andhehasatragicflawthatledtohisdownfall.Nowwhen
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readingabookanalyzethecharactersmoreindepth.Shakespearemayhavewroteaboutthis
tragicflawtohisaudiencesotheymightanalyzethemselfandsituationsinmoredepthsand
identifyflawsdeepwithinthemselves.