WHO IS THE REAL TRAGIC HERO OF OTHELLO?

Who is the real tragic hero of Othello?



Who is the real tragic hero of Othello?

Introduction

Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story Un Capitano Moro (A Moorish Captain) by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army; his wife Desdemona; his lieutenant, Cassio; and his trusted ensign Iago (Adney 2010). Because of its varied and current themes of racism, love, jealousy, and betrayal, Othello is still often performed in professional and community theatres alike and has been the basis for numerous operatic, film, and literary adaptations.

There is an expansive body of literature that is present with regard to the play of Othello and its characters. While some researchers have chosen to analyze Othello, others have chosen to reflect on the relevance of different characters in the play. Others have chosen to highlight the presence of different themes in the play with regard to the manner in which modern day literature seeks inspiration from Othello.

This discussion will attempt to contribute to this expansive body of literature by bringing forth a new side of the picture. In this area, the discussion will essentially propose that the character of Othello (the protagonist) holds secondary relevance. Primary relevance in the play is associable with the character of Emilia. This paper will attempt to question the perception that considers the character of Othello to be the tragic hero of Shakespeare's play Othello. In addition, the paper will attempt to highlight an alternative character in the play: Emilia; as the actual tragic hero of the play. In order to do so, the discussion will present examples from the play in an attempt to substantiate arguments and form clear arguments. The discussion will also attempt to compare the presence of Emilia as the tragic hero of the play in comparison to the presence of the character of Othello as the tragic hero.

Discussion & Analyses

It is only natural to consider the character of Othello as the tragic hero of Shakespeare's Othello. However, modern interpretations of the play have helped to shed a new light on the subject, driving literature analysts to reconsider their opinion of considering the character of Othello to be the actual tragic hero of Shakespeare's play Othello. The sympathy that is generally directed towards the character of Othello is based on the apparent plot that Shakespeare has presented. However, a deeper insight and closer analysis tends to show a deeper picture. In light of this deeper analysis, it would not be incorrect to state that the actual tragic hero of Othello may not be the character of Othello (Iyasere 2009). A closer look reveals that Othello may not be the tragic hero. This perspective is based on the fact that Othello was actually driven by blind anger and his blind ...