Othello the Moor of Venice as a tragedy

Besides, it will use Aristotle’s concept of tragedy and tragic heroes to demonstrate why the play is being classified as a tragedy and not a comic or a moral play. Furthermore, the research paper will feature how Aristotle understood and recognized tragedies in different plays as well as how the actions of characters can lead to a tragedy occurring or reversing the occurrence of tragedies. The Outline • Introduction • Discussing of Othello, the Moor of Venice as a tragedy • Highlighting and discussing how Aristotle demonstrates that Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy. • Outline some examples of tragedy in Othello’s, the Moor of Venice and their effect on plays. • How Othello proves to be a tragic hero and his role as a tragic hero. Othello, the Moor of Venice as a tragedy The play, “Othello, the Moor of Venice” has often been regarded as a tragedy.

However, before we discuss how the play is a tragedy, let’s first look at the true definition of tragedy. Therefore, a tragedy can be defined generally as a great suffering, a disaster or a loss of life or property that occurs in real life. It can also be termed as “life trying times” which may lead to the loss of dear ones. Just to be specific, in plays tragedy can be defined as tragic events that always leads to an unhappy ending. In this case, we see the tragedy befalls Othello when he is tricked by Lago and kills his wife and later commits suicide. Usually, the fortune changes drastically from moments of happiness to moments of misery (Munteanu, 2011). Majorly, the main characters whom the miseries fall on are usually noble persons holding various ranks of power and whose actions are superior.

For example, Othello was a Moorish General who led the Turkish soldiers to war (Drakakis, 2014). According, to Aristotle, the protagonist is usually neither a bad person nor a perfect person. This is a tragedy that resulted in the loss of lives. Also, the tricking nature of Lago lands him in great pains after he tricked Othello that his wife was unfaithful and later when Othello realizes it was a foul play, he stabs him with a knife (Drakakis, 2014). Particularly, the different tragedies in the play have very vital roles. Firstly, they help to build the plot. Secondly, they ensure that there is flow in the play by establishing which event leads to the other. ” However, as the play progresses, Othello’s fortune begins to change when Lago plan culminates. Othello’s tragic fall as a hero begins the moment he is manipulated by Lago to believe that his wife is unfaithful to him (Drakakis, 2014).

After Othello learns of the possible affair between his wife and Cassio, which marked the beginning of Othello’s misfortunes, Othello kills her wife and commits suicide after realizing he had been tricked. Similarly, a tragic hero falls as a result of flaws or deficiencies in his or her character or personality. In this play, Othello, the tragic hero falls because he never questioned or investigated deeper into the rumors he heard about Desdemona. Also, it has proved that Othello, who is the main character, is a tragic hero since we have witnessed his downfall up to the extent of death. Besides, it has classified the play as an Aristotelian tragedy. The tragedy has been attributed to change from ignorance to knowledge and finally to wisdom. It has depicted the character traits associated with human nature and the possible pitfalls in case they tend to be so ignorant.

References Bartels, E. Munteanu, D. L. Tragic Pathos: Pity and Fear in Greek Philosophy and Tragedy. Cambridge University Press. Neill, M. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Gebroeders Binger.