The Flaws that Lead to the Downfall of Othello and Macbeth in the Plays by William Shakespeare

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Compare the Ways that Shakespeare Presents and Develops the Flaws that lead to the Downfall of Othello and Macbeth
In the two plays both Macbeth and Othello have weaknesses that bring them astray this deteriorates their personality. Macbeth’s weakness is portrayed through his ambition, whereas Othello’s weakness is portrayed through his jealousy.
Macbeth from the very start is described as a “good guy”… and he is also represented as a brave, noble, good swordsman and a great leader, but this unravels when he begins to choose treachery and crime as an approach to gain power. “All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee thane of Glamis!” “All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee thane of Cawdor!” “All hail Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter!” Macbeth hears these prophecies from the three witches and remembers his ambition to become king. Shakespeare shows the three witches as an evil seed planted in Macbeth’s head, which gradually germinated through the play, therefore Macbeth decides to speed up the prediction by killing Duncan to gain kingship. In addition, Lady Macbeth also influences Macbeth’s ambition as she persuades him to do the evil deed. Lady Macbeth tricks Macbeth by using her cunning attitude. She makes him think that he needs to kill Duncan for his own benefit to gain more power. Lady Macbeth uses flattery to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan: ...

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...that he was wrong. Othello tells Lodovico: “Nor set down aught in malice. Then you must speak of one that love not wisely, but too well; of one not easily jealous, but being wrought, perplexed in the extreme; of one whose hand, like the base Judean, threw a pearl away”. Othello tells Lodovico to describe him as how he actually is. To mention that he is not easily jealous but believes Iago’s tricks and manipulation. To describe Othello as a fool who disposes something so precious, like a pearl. Othello, himself, acknowledges that he is foolish and his jealousy blinds, taking him into the darkness and throwing away his true love.

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