Othello Tragic Hero Essay

All people have their fate and destiny, and is up to them to follow it or deny it. In the play Othello, the protagonist, Othello is a tragic hero because he identifies with all the traits as one, such as a tragic flaw that causes the downfall of the hero, catharsis, and when the protagonist discovers someone’s true identity. One reason Othello is a tragic hero and also what leads him to his inevitable downfall is because of his tragic flaw which causes his downfall. Othello’s tragic flaw is his ability to be easily tricked, his jealousy, and insecurity. Viewers can understand Othello’s jealousy when Iago tricks him into thinking his wife is cheating on him when Iago says, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! /It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The

Catharsis is when the readers or viewers feel pity and fear toward the protagonist. Throughout the play viewers cannot help but feel fear and pity for Desdemona and Othello’s future. As Iago is planning to destroy the couple, viewers worry for their situation and fear how it will end. A moment when the audience feels catharsis in the play is when Othello says, “I will withdraw / To furnish me with some swift means of death/ For the fair devil.” (III.iii.544-545). The audience can sense fear because Othello has vowed not to change course until he has killed her. Viewers fear for Desdemona, especially because they know she is honest and pure. Viewers also feel pity toward the protagonists when they see the pain Iago forces upon them. Othello and Desdemona were wealthy, honest and confident people. They both were very honorable; this could be one of the many reasons viewers feel pity towards them. The audience feels pity when Iago deceives two honest and innocent people into their death. When Othello kills Desdemona and then himself, viewers feel pity because they know, Iago has tricked him, and that their love is doomed from the