Essay on The Tragic Hero in William Shakespeare´s Othello

Tragic heroes tend to have very pre-determined paths; usually making the most virtuous of characters destined to suffer. The hamartia or ‘tragic flaw’ is the typical reason the hero falls. Shakespeare was noted to be one of the best writers of tragedies, one of his most prominent to be Othello. In Othello, we find a number of tragic flaws two including pride and ambition. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, pride and ambition are used to identify the outcomes for the main characters in the play when seeing the resolution of the play, perceiving those who survive and those who don’t, and considering each character’s role in the turn of events. Pride and ambition are shown in Othello, the tragic hero, and in Iago, the villain. Othello†¦show more content†¦But when seeing Desdemona without her handkerchief he just believes that she was unfaithful and that is the end of it, there was no changing his mind. The death toll was huge, and so many die because of Iago and Othello. Desdemona was killed by Othello for all of the wrong reasons. She was proud to be Othello’s wife, and she kept his pride until she died, saying that she had killed herself to protect Othello. Othello wouldn’t be swayed by her attempt to explain that she had been framed because he was pent up on jealously and pride to change his mind. It is thought that Rodrigo died because he was bargaining with the devil, or Iago. He wanted Desdemona so he blindly followed Iago through everything and he ended up dead because of it. Emilia, Iago’s wife, is killed by Iago himself. She was the woman who pieced together everything that happened and when she tries to explain, Iago kills her because he can’t afford to be caught. Finally, realizing that he had been tricked, Othello kills himself, saying that he was the last enemy he had giving him pride in defeating his last enemy. The resolution of the play concludes with Emilia, Desdemona, Othello, and Rodrigo all dead. Iago is set for torture and Cassio is the new governor of Cyprus. Iago lives because he has the worst punishment of living with his sins. Cassio lives because he is humble,Show MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1323 Words   |  6 PagesIn literature tragic heroes can be defined as a character that makes a flawed judgment that inevitably leads to their own demise. William Shakespeare’s Othello the Moore of Venice is a play about a heroic individual that goes through a tragic event based on his decisions throughout the play. Many of the characters that Shakespeare presents in his plays reveal attitudes and value that is reflective of both the Elizabethan society in sixteenth century England and William Shakespeare; these values areRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1322 Words   |  6 PagesA hero usually a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities (Dictionary.com). 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