Othello

William Shakespeare have written many plays. His most tragic play is Othello.

Othello is also the name of the main character in the play, he is quite hard to understand.

In order to have a better understanding of Othello's character, examining his changes

throughout the play, flaws and why he is considered a tragic hero will give the reader an

insight of his overall personality.

Othello changes many times throughout the course of the play. At the beginning of

the play Othello trusts Desdemona with everything, but throughout the play he loses

confident in her because he listens to Iago's suggestions about her. "'Cassio, my lord? No,

sure, I cannot think it That he would sneak away so guilty like, Seeing you come.'"

(Shakespeare 105). He shows disrespect to Desdemona in front of other people. "'Devil'

he strikes her 'I have not deserved this.'" (141). Othello changes even more dramatically

because of the poison suggestions that Iago has given him.

From the Library of Congress: TITLE: Thos. W. Keen...

English: Photographic full-length portrait of Edwi...

Illustration of Othello and Iago

He goes out of control and

eventually kills Desdemona thinking that she has did something wrong.

Othello has many tragic flaws. He is a really gullible person, for example he was

tricked by Iago; thinking that Desdemona was really having an affair with Cassio. " ` Did

he confess it?'" (134). He trusts Iago too much and totally relies on Iago therefore making

him really vulnerable to Iago's evilish schemes. Othello's gullibility causes him to be

jealous. He let's his jealousy take over, he looses control of himself and acts on his jealous

emotions, he let's his jealousy clutter his mind and good judgment. "`Damn her, lewd

minx! O, damn her, damn her! Come go with me part. I will withdraw To furnish me with

some swift means of death. For the fair devil. Now are...