How Is Othello A True Tragedy

The Tragedy of Othello

There are several essential elements that must be presented in a Shakespearean play in order to classify the piece as a true tragedy. Most importantly the tragedy must have a virtuous, noble protagonist who possesses a flaw, not a character defect, which will ultimately lead to his downfall or death. Another important detail is that the audience will have an emotional catharsis of pity and terror as the events of the play unfold. The work must also embellish language, and the tragedy will be presented as an action with a realistic plot. Shakespeare's Othello brilliantly encompasses all of these essential elements and introduces the world to perhaps the greatest tragic hero of all time, Othello, the

As Othello callously murdered his wife, ignoring her pleas for just one more night of life, it left the audience horrified by his actions. However, when Othello finally realizes, too late, Iago's evil plot and the absolute horror of his actions it is hard not to pity him as he cries, "O cursed, cursed slave! Whip me, ye devils / [ . . . ] / Blow me about in winds! Roast me in sulfur! / Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire! / O Desdemon! Dead Desdemon; dead. O! O!" (V. ii. 274. 276-278). As Othello reached the realization of his fatal flaw in trusting some one above reason and then stabs himself, it leaves the audience saddened by all of the events that formed his great tragedy. The earlier feelings of horror towards Othello's killing of his innocent wife are replaced by mixed emotions of both horror and pity. As mentioned earlier, his one fatal flaw was a noble virtue after all. Shakespeare never portrayed Othello as an omnificent God, incapable of making mistakes. The audience is able to see that he was just a man capable of being

Every character possessed real human emotions and characteristics. Othello in his naiveté. Roderigo's foolish actions as he tried to obtain his passionate desire to be with Desdemona. Racism or prejudice people have towards others who are different from them. Desdemona's complete innocence and unfailing love for the man she married. Iago's evilness and cold-heartedness. These are all characteristics the audience can relate to and see in everyday life. Although the plot may seem improbable at times, the actions the tragic figure made are not. In the beginning of the play life was relatively perfect for Othello. His actions in the beginning of his life and with Desdemona had positive consequences. For example, when instead of running and hiding from Desdemona's angry father, he stood his ground and defended his love which won over the court and the audience. However, in the middle of the play as Iago continued to corrupt Othello's mind, Othello's decisions began to have negative repercussions. For instance, after he fired Cassio, this led to Desdemona defending Cassio and further raising Othello's suspicions of her fidelity. Finally, as Othello kills Desdemona, then himself his choices led to the tragic end to this play. Each phase of the play logically lead to the next inevitable catastrophe, which ultimately ended as Othello and everything that