Othello as a tragic hero

‘Othello’ is one of the four greatest tragedies that William Shakespeare ever wrote. Othello is the most admired character in all Shakespearean tragic heroes. He is a born soldier and the major portion of his life has been spent in wars and camps. He is fearless and brave. He is well reputed for his ability and proficiency as a soldier as well as a commander. 

Othello is the general of the Venetian forces and later he is appointed as the governor of Cyprus. He possesses rare calmness and self-restraint. He is a disciplined soldier and does not allow his feelings and sentiments to run loose and overpower his soldiership. He is by nature frank and generous. Meanness and intrigue is alien in his character.

Desdemona falls in love with him for his bravery and elopes with him. Othello becomes the incarnation of romance. They seem to be a pair of lovers totally different from other men and women of the world. He has a deep love for Desdemona. It is not physical passion but a true union of hearts. He loves her with all his soul.

However, this same Othello loses all his control over himself when he is worked up to strong jealousy by the subtle machinations of Iago. Othello is extremely credulous and firmly believes whatever Iago pours into his ears. Here lies the tragedy of his life. He places absolute confidence in Iago and never sees through his villainies. His strength is physical rather than intellectual.

Othello is a man of quick decision and firm action when he is convinced of anything. When Iago succeeds in convincing him of his wife’s infidelity, Othello feels an acute and unbearable pain in his heart because of the intensity of his love for Desdemona. Even in the end when he has decided to kill Desdemona, he cannot kill her immediately because the appeal of her beauty is irresistible upon him. At last, he persuades himself to convince that her murder has become a necessity and by killing her, he would be sacrificing his love at the altar of honour and justice.

However, Othello possesses basic weakness in his character against which Iago directs his attack. Othello’s over credulous nature makes him believe the fabricated stories of Iago and his perverted sense of honour and justice helps him to decide about the murder of his faithful wife, Desdemona. After the murder of his wife when he learns about the facts, life becomes intolerable to him and he kills himself.

We can sum up the whole position of Othello by saying that Othello retains our sympathy as a tragic figure, even in his most horrible behavior, because we remember his earlier nobility, because we are conscious all the time that he has become a puppet in the hands of Iago.