Othello: analysis of Shakespeare's tragedy

¶ … Othello, by William Shakespeare. Specifically, it will contain a major and minor character analysis. Othello and Desdemona are intertwined in the play, and the tragic fall of Othello could not occur without Desdemona's ultimate betrayal.

Othello

The major character of Othello in the play "Othello" is a tragic hero who allows himself to be manipulated by those around him, especially Iago and Desdemona. Othello is an interesting character, in that he is a "moor," or a black man in a largely white world, who indeed marries a white woman. He is a strong leader, who is given command over Cyprus, and is generally accepted by those around him, as this passage shows, "And, noble signior, If virtue no delighted beauty lack, Your son-in-law is far more fair than black" (Shakespeare Act I, scene iii).

Unfortunately, Othello trusts his "friends" too much, and they plan and plot against him, ultimately leading to his death. Othello allows the actions of those around him affect him, rather than trusting his own instincts and this is a fatal flaw in his character. He allows Iago and Roderigo to lead him, and listens to their advice more than he listens to his own heart. He is convinced Desdemona is unfaithful to him, even though she is not, and he allows his own pride to get in the way of common sense, which is another deadly character flaw. Othello is the perfect tragic hero, because although he is highly successful, he allows his character flaws to get in the way, and they ultimately lead to tragedy, despair, and death.

In the beginning of the play, Othello is a strong and vital man in command of an army, and in command of his life. By the end of the play, he is dead because of his descent into jealousy, betrayal, and the poor advice of others. Early in the play, his pride in himself is abundantly clear when he says, "My services which I have done the signiory / Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know, -- / Which, when I know that boasting is an honor, / I shall promulgate, -- I fetch my life and being / From men of royal siege; and my demerits / May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune" (Shakespeare Act I, Scene ii). Unfortunately, by the end of the play, he is only full of jealousy and desperation. Othello has allowed himself to become a victim at the hands of others, and has allowed his own torment and self-doubt to create problems in his life that never existed. In the end, Othello is the ultimate tragic hero who gives in to his baser side, and ruins everything he has gained in his life.

As a minor character, Desdemona is crucial to the play, and to the eventual fall of Othello. As one critic noted, "The marriage bed is at the very heart of the tragedy of Othello; offstage but dramatically the center of attention in the first scene and again in the first scene of the second act, it is literally and symbolically at the center of the last scene and is explicitly hidden from sight at the conclusion" (Bloom 79). Desdemona is quiet, unassuming, but deadly in her own way. She allows misunderstanding and miscommunication to continue, which eventually lead to Othello's death. She is the ultimate cause of jealousy and betrayal, and the perfect minor character for Othello.