Shakespeare's Othello as a Tragic Hero

Paper Summary:

The paper demonstrates how hate, admiration, pity and sympathy make Othello our favorite tragic hero according to the guidelines of Aristotelian tragedy. The paper describes how Othello appeals to us as a likable man and a real character at the beginning of the play. The paper then analyzes his turn for the worse and his revelation and regret that the tragedy surrounding him can be traced to no one other than himself. The paper also points out Othello's experience of a reversal from a good life to one that is absolutely despicable. Throughout the paper, the writer shows how while we can hate him for being such a fool, we can also pity him because we know that he did not set out to kill his wife but to love her.

From the Paper:

"While tragedies and dramas are often seen as pieces of entertainment, they are generally much more. One play that demonstrates this fact is William Shakespeare's play, Othello. While the play might seem to be a drama, it is much more, especially when we consider certain aspects of the play and how they constitute the requirements of an Aristotelian tragedy. Using the same lens, we can see how Othello becomes the perfect tragic hero by these same standards. According to Aristotle, one of the most significant requirements for a hero to become tragic is its ability to reflect life. Aristotle thought that art should imitate life and dramas should be arranged with words and events that represent real life. Aristotle recognized specific elements that a drama must contain to be considered a tragedy and for the heroes to be truly tragic. Among these elements are that the drama must be structured in such a way to evoke particular feelings such as sympathy fear, or pity."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aristotle. "Poetics." S. H. Butcher, Trans. MIT Internet Classics Archive. Information Retrieved November 17, 2008. <http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.html>
• Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Fawcett Premier. 1991.
• Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books. 1998.
• Cantor, Paul A. "Othello." Southwest Review. 1990. EBSCO Resource Database. Information Retrieved November 17, 2008. <http://search.epnet.com >
• Shakespeare, William. Othello. Kenneth Muir, ed. New York: Penguin Books. 1968.

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