Othello as Aristotle's Tragic Hero: A Literary Analysis
This paper argues that Shakespeare's Othello qualifies as an Aristotelian tragic hero and that the play itself adheres to the classical model of tragedy. Drawing on Aristotle's defining criteria, the paper examines Othello's nobility, his moral goodness tempered by a fatal flaw, the self-inflicted nature of his downfall, and the insight he gains before his death. It also analyzes the play's structural and linguistic qualities — including its organic plot construction, cathartic effect, reversal of fortune, and moment of discovery — demonstrating that Othello satisfies each element of Aristotle's definition of tragedy in both character and dramatic form.
- Introduction: Thesis: Othello fits Aristotle's tragic hero model
- Othello as Tragic Hero: Othello's nobility, flaw, fall, and self-knowledge examined
- The Play as a Tragedy: Play's catharsis, language, plot, and structure analyzed
- Conclusion: Othello and play confirmed as Aristotelian tragedy
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper applies a clear, systematic framework — Aristotle's criteria — and checks each criterion against specific textual evidence from the play, giving the argument strong logical coherence.
- Direct quotations from Shakespeare are used purposefully and are accompanied by close reading that connects the lines to the broader thesis, rather than simply dropped in for effect.
- Secondary sources (Bradley, Hallstead, Kirsch, Bates, Schaper) are integrated smoothly to support analytical claims rather than to substitute for the student's own interpretation.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates criterion-based literary analysis: it identifies a theoretical framework (Aristotle's definition of tragedy), lists its constituent criteria, and methodically evaluates the primary text against each one. This approach produces an argument that is transparent and easy to follow, making it a strong model for comparative or evaluative literary essays.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a thesis-forward introduction that previews all major points. Two body sections divide the argument cleanly — one focused on the protagonist as tragic hero, one on the play as a tragedy in the classical sense. Each body section addresses several sub-criteria in sequence. The conclusion restates the thesis concisely without introducing new material. The structure mirrors the outline, making the argument's progression easy to track.
Shakespeare's Othello is a tragic hero according to the definition of Aristotle. First, he is a man of noble stature. Second, he is good — but not perfect — and his fall is directly attributable to his own guilty actions. Third, his fall is tragic: it arises from the combination of his greatness and his own responsibility in causing his ruin. Fourth, the misfortune Othello suffers is enormous, owing to the fact that he himself is larger than life. Fifth, the fall Othello suffers does come with an increase of awareness — self-knowledge that restores something of his wisdom and nobility before the curtain falls; he exits not cursing his fate but taking responsibility for his own crimes and acknowledging the justice delivered upon himself. Sixth, the play can be considered an Aristotelian tragedy because it achieves a cathartic effect by arousing pity and fear in the audience — or, as Schaper (1968) explains, by purifying the emotions and purging them of any ugliness; instead of feeling depressed by what has been witnessed, the audience is filled with compassion and awe, fear and trepidation. The language used throughout the play is appropriate and pleasurable, and the play provides the best of all tragic plots according to the Aristotelian model: it contains a reversal and a discovery. This paper will show, therefore, that Othello fits Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero and that Shakespeare's play adheres to the model of an Aristotelian tragedy.
What makes a tragic hero according to Aristotle? He must be noble and larger than life, yet his undoing should be the result of his own actions, and in his fall — which should be great — he should gain insight. Othello meets these criteria entirely.
Othello's nobility is established early in the play, conveyed to the audience even by his arch-nemesis Iago, who hates the Moor. Othello is admired by all the Venetian senators and has performed valiantly in battle in defense of the city-state. He has won honor and prestige, and his gallantry, greatness, and nobility are precisely what attracted Desdemona to him. Moreover, Othello speaks beautifully and elegantly — so much so that even after he elopes with Desdemona (to the shock and horror of her father), the Moor is able to justify his actions before the Senate. Bates (2007) notes that Othello's words are so powerful that the Moor is "capable of mesmerizing the hardened heads of the Venetian Senate" in just a few short lines (p. 190).
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