Shakespeares Othello The Moore of Venice as a Tragedy - Research Paper Example

Shakespeare's Othello, ‘The Moore of Venice’ as a tragedy Outline: Introduction-thesis statement, Body paragraphs- Aristotle’s concept tragedy, Analysis of Othello, Conclusion Critics overtime have made controversial remarks regarding the character of Othello, Shakespeare’s title hero. When some of the great critics like A.C Bradley support Othello as a true tragic hero and the play as a tragedy, critics like F.R. Leaves cannot truly qualify the status of Othello. According to Bradley, “There is practically no doubt that Othello was the tragedy written next after Hamlet” (P.175) “[and it] is the most painfully exciting and the most terrible” (Bradley, 1905 p.176). Othello is probably the most neatly, the most formally constructed of Shakespeare’s plays (ixv). While dealing with the concept of a tragedy and tragic hero, majority of the researchers adopt the studies of the great thinker and scholar Aristotle. Aristotle, in his book, Poetics, has well defined tragedy and tragic hero. According to Aristotle, “Tragedy is an imitation of an action of high importance, complete and of some amplitude; in language enhanced by distinct and varying beauties; acted not narrated; by, means of pity and fear effecting its purgation of these emotions” (Aristotle, poetics, Chapter VI). Analysing Shakespeare’s “Othello” in terms of Aristotelian concept of tragedy will enable the researcher to identify whether the given play belongs to the category of tragedy, and Othello as a tragic hero, as propounded by Aristotle. The proposed research advocates that Shakespeare’s play, “Othello” fulfils Aristotle’s concept of tragedy and tragic hero, and as such, it can aptly be reagrded as a tragic play or tragedy. According to A. C. Bradley, “A Shakespearian tragedy is essentially a tale of suffering and calamity leading to the death of its hero.” It is a story that revolves around one person, the hero. “A tragic hero is a person of “high estate,” apparently the king or queen or other member of the royal family. It is the nature of the tragedy that the protagonist must fall from power and from happiness; his high estate gives him a place of dignity to fall from and perhaps makes his fall seem all the more a calamity in that it involves the entire nation or people” (Sophocles, n.d. p. 856). The mannerisms of a tragic hero differ from the ordinary folk that this peculiar passion or the habit of mind is generally regarded as the tragic flaw. The fall of the tragic hero is the result of this weakness in his character. Aristotle regards it as his hamartia: his error or transgression or his flaw of character (Sophocles, n.d. p. 856). Regarding the play “Othello”, one can infer that “Othello” is the play acknowledges most of Aristotle’s perceptions of tragedy and tragic hero. According to Aristotle, the first and foremost quality of a tragic hero is that he should be an eminent man of high estate. The Duke appoints him as the governor of Cyprus. The presentation of the character of Othello as a noble general, the Moor of Venice, avers the first step in judging the play as a tragedy. Aristotle made it clear when he suggested that “The actions of an eminent man would be ‘serious, complete and of certain magnitude’... [and] the hero should not only be eminent, but also basically a good man, though not absolutely virtuous” (Jain, 2008 p.77). Analysing the character of Othello, one can understand that Othello is truly eminent as a military noble and complete/perfect in his profession and in love towards his wife, Desdemona. His intellectual love, its purity and innocence concede the former statement. But he is not absolutely virtuous as he has the tragic flaw called, credulousness or Gullibility. An overview of the play clearly indicates that it is this gullibility leading Othello to fall. He never mistrusts or finding out any dishonest behaviour in Iago. The words of Othello are self explanatory of his trustfulness (though it becomes ironical as the play progresses) when he says, “...my ancient; a man he is of honesty and trust. To this conveyance I assign my wife” (Shakespeare, p.38). When evaluating the villainies of Iago and the way Othello reacting to it—though unknowingly, one can infer that it is not the defect in one’s character that always leading him to tragedy, but an excess or virtue may also cause for it. The fall of Othello from power and happiness is also suggestive of Aristotelian concept of tragic hero. The sufferings, fall and death of Othello generate feelings of disgust rather than those of ‘terror and compassion’.” (Jain, 2008 p.77.). Othello is not a villain or wicked person like Iago that his fall does not satisfy the moral sense of the audience, instead the audience/readers are sympathetic towards the hero and his fall. Aristotle is of the opinion that while watching the play the audience feel pity and fear to the central character. This pity and fear ultimately lead them to catharsis. Dr. B.B. Jain (2008) quotes the words of Aristotle when he commented about the feelings of the audience thus, “...for our pity is excited by misfortunes undeservedly suffered, and our terror by some resemblance between the sufferer and ourselves” (p.77). It makes clear that the audience are exited and they share the feelings of the sufferer when they feel similarity between their sufferings and that of the sufferers. Aristotle has identified that some error of human frailty may also make a tragic hero. According to Aristotle, “There remains for our choice a person neither eminently virtuous or just, not yet involved in misfortune by deliberate vice or villainy, but by some error of human frailty; and this person should also be in high frame and flourishing prosperity” (Jain, 2008 p.77). the words of Emily C. Bartels (2008) also concedes it when the author writes, “I will argue, that play—attempt to show, to speak of Othello, of a “Moor of Venice,” as he is not as easy or straight forward as it sounds. Othello himself goes on to supply a number of divergent images, each with a different cultural edge” (p.1). Here in the case of Othello, he was the victim of vice or villainy from Iago. Regarding the character of Othello, one can see the fact that it is the one weakness in his character that leads him to his tragedy. Another feature of Shakespearian play is the decisive role of fate or destiny. The fate or destiny intensifies the action of the play and a number of such things occur in the play. One of the prominent among them is the dropping of the handkerchief. The destruction of the Turkish fleet, Othello’s arrival just after Cassio departs Desdemona and Emilia’s arrival at the door of Othello during the last part of the play are some of them. Another quite common factor identifiable in Shakespearian tragedies is conflict. The great conflict occurs in the play when Othello’s mind is tormenting between his love for Desdemona and the hatred which originated from jealousy. An analysis of the play leads one to the inference that “Othello” is domestic tragedy unlike the other great tragedies of Shakespeare. This play unveils a quite common incident occurring in everyday life. Another feature of the play which makes it standing aloof from other tragedies of Shakespeare is that majority of the characters are of lower rank. By presenting the character of Othello as a black Moor, Shakespeare could create a particular effect in his audience. If the character belongs to high rank, there is possibility for the audience to diminish their feelings of identification. The recognition or reversal, as Aristotle referred as the feature of a tragedy, also takes place in “Othello.” “...recognition or discovery (anagnorisis) is the revelation of some fact not known before or some person’s true identity” (Sophocles, n.d. p. 857). Recognition occurs in the last part of play when Emilia reveals Othello the plot of her husband, Iago intended to obliterate Othello. But this recognition of Othello was too late to get back Desdemona to life. This recognition leads Othello to repentance and committing suicide, especially for doubting his lovable and loyal wife. Reversal of action occurs when a character realising his/her folly. But Aristotle attributed particular meaning to the term reversal or perpeteia or peripety (Sophocles, n.d. p. 857). Here the actions take an opposite turn from what the doer has really intended. Aristotle has envisioned that recognition leading to reversal of action, that is, anagnorisis leading to perpeteia. Peripeteia may change the character also. It well evident when observing the character of Othello, first a weak, credulous man turns to be tempered realising his follies and even murders Iago for his misdeeds. To conclude, one can infer that the play “Othello” can be regarded as a tragedy that truly acknowledges the Aristotelian concept of tragedy and a tragic hero. The hero of the play “Othello” is also an eminent man of high estate, and we see his fall affecting the whole nation. He is not completely just or perfect in his character. He has the tragic flaw called credulousness or gullibility which leading him to his tragedy. His fall from the high position is producing catharsis in the audience that they feel pity and fear to the character of Othello. Recognition and reversal, that is, anagnorisis and peripeteia also occurs in Othello’s character. He recognises his follies and finds a belated solution. All these facts lead the researcher to the conclusion that Shakespeare’s play “Othello” is a tragedy and Othello is tragic hero. References Bartels C. Emily. Speaking of the Moor: from Alcazar to Othello.University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008 Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 1905. Jain B.B. Ugc Net/jrf/slet English (Paper-Ii & Iii) Gabler Wissenschaftsverlage, 2008 Sophocles, critical case book: chapter: 33 p.856 provided by customer. Shakespeare William, Othello, Edition 3, Plain Label Books Shakespeare William, Kernan B Alvin. The tragedy of Othello: the Moor of Venice,Alvin B. Kernan 2nd revised edition, Signet Classic, 1998 Read More