Othello the Hero

Paper Summary:

As the central character in William Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Othello is generally considered to be a heroic individual. By examining the text of the play, and by comparison with another, widely recognized heroic character, Jesus Christ, this paper argues that Othello's claim to heroic status should be affirmed.

From the Paper:

"Othello was a nobleman and an African Moor by birth, who rose to acclaim the position of Governor-General of Cyprus, which was a city-state within Venice. In addition to being the highest rank within the military of his state, the title of Governor-General ensured that Othello was regarded with respect and admiration by the vast majority of society. His status as heroic is made apparent early in the play when, as he enters a room which is occupied by a gathering of senators and noblemen, one of the senators declares, "Here comes Barbantio and the valiant Moor" (Act 1, Scene 3). Therefore, on a superficial level alone, the nobility of his birth, the power and respect accorded by his social position, and his physical appearance, of height and strength, fulfills many of the generally regarded requirements of a hero. This initial profile of Othello is also in stark contrast to that of Jesus Christ, who is born into a life of poverty, achieves the title of "carpenter", and is neither tall nor strong in appearance."

More papers on Othello the Hero:

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