What kind of character is Othello?
As a skilled soldier and general, Othello is brave, confident, smart and physically strong. Unfortunately, he is also a racial outsider, insecure about his Moorish background, emotionally out of control and naïve. Othello’s insecurity is his fatal flaw, a weakness in his personality.
How would you describe Othello’s character?
Othello is an outsider who is intelligent and confident in military matters but socially insecure. He leads an intense life, swinging between triumph and dread. He is different from those around him, due to his origins and his life history, but he shares their religion, values, and patriotism to Venice.
Who are the key characters in Othello?
Character List
- Othello. The play’s protagonist and hero.
- Desdemona. The daughter of the Venetian senator Brabanzio.
- Iago. Othello’s ensign (a job also known as an ancient or standard-bearer), and the villain of the play.
- Michael Cassio. Othello’s lieutenant.
- Emilia.
- Roderigo.
- Bianca.
- Brabanzio.
Who is Othello summary?
The play is set in motion when Othello, a heroic black general in the service of Venice, appoints Cassio and not Iago as his chief lieutenant. Jealous of Othello’s success and envious of Cassio, Iago plots Othello’s downfall by falsely implicating Othello’s wife, Desdemona, and Cassio in a love affair.
Was Othello a good man?
Othello is essentially a good man. From early in the play we learn that he is a trusted soldier and a loving husband who remains calm under pressure and is held in high regard in Venice.
Why Othello is a tragic hero?
Othello is a tragic hero because he is noble, he suffers from a fatal tragic flaw and he goes through a tragic downfall. All these traits that Othello exhibits lead him to be known as one of the most well-known tragic heroes in all of literature.
What is Othello’s tragic flaw?
Some say that Othello’s tragic flaw was jealousy which flared at suspicion and rushed into action unchecked by calm common sense. A more modern interpretation would say that Othello’s tragic flaw was that he had internalized, that is taken into himself, the prejudices of those who surrounded him.
Who is the villain in Othello?
Iago
Iago, fictional character, the villain of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello (written 1603–04).
Who is the hero in Othello?
Was Othello a villain or victim?
Othello is the actual villain. Even though he initially lacks any malicious thoughts and ideas, he eventually gets to become a murderer due to emotionally untrustworthy and jealousy.
Who is the real villain in Othello?
Iago is the antagonist of the play; in fact, his character is often cited as one of the clearest examples of an antagonist in all of literature. Iago actively works to thwart Othello by convincing Othello that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him, knowing that this belief will torment Othello.
Is Othello more evil than Iago?
Ultimately, actions speak louder than words. Iago is evil in his actions towards Othello, but between the two, Othello is the most evil for reacting to lies in the most violent of ways. The evil in Iago becomes visible from the very beginning of the play.
Why is Othello so trusting of Iago?
Shakespeare shows that they are a multitude of reasons including the fact that Othello is an outsider in society and Iago acts as his tutor, Iago is a master of deception and manages to deceive everyone and Othello is a general and great military leader who is unaware of how to act in a peaceful society.
Why does Othello Trust Iago above Desdemona?
Othello trusts Iago because he has a noble spirit and assumes that other people are like himself. He is like many other Shakespearean characters who become disillusioned with humanity when they learn the truth about human nature. Iago is an exceptionally cunning man and is capable of fooling almost anybody.
What makes Othello a tragic hero essay?
– BY MARK VAN DOREN – University of Michigan. prod.lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/hopwood-assets/documents/Hopwood Lectures/HopwoodLecture-1951 Mark Van Doren.pdf. – Ryan, Kiernan. – Shakespeare, William, and David Bevington. – Shakespeare, William. – “Tragic Hero as Defined by Aristotle”- bisd303.Org.