Jordan Khan

March 10, 2016

ENG3UI-06
Mr. Toffoletti

Othello Argumentative Essay

Shakespeare is known to have produced several plays that can be labeled as
tragedies. These tragedies focus around a central character with great potential, a
protagonist, who suffers because of a significant flaw in their character, called a
hamartia. This protagonist becomes a tragic hero and at first we feel pathos or
sympathy for them. They also show hubris or excessive self-confidence which can
become offensive or harmful to others. Furthermore, the audience experiences
catharsis or the purging of all emotions at some point. Finally there is the catastrophe,
the point where all hell breaks loose and the tragic hero meets their demise. Aristotle
defines tragedy like this:
Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious and complete, and which
has some greatness about it. It imitates in words with pleasant accompaniments,
each type belonging separately to the different parts of the work. It imitates people
performing actions and does not rely on narration. It achieves, through pity and
fear, the catharsis of these sorts of feelings.
He tells us that a tragedy imitates realistic actions, and can therefore be considered a
drama. He also explains that it requires a plot with a beginning, middle, and end. Once
again, catharsis is mentioned as an important part of tragedy to show the purifying of
emotions through pity and fear. One of Shakespeares plays, Othello, is a good example
of a tragedy because it displays the elements of tragedy (hamartia, pathos, hubris,
catharsis, and catastrophe) and other properties such as the ones explained by Aristotle.
Othello is shown to have a hamartia of extreme jealousy throughout the play. It is
actually stated directly a few times in the play: O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the
green-eyed monster which doth mock (3.3.163-165). Here, Iago is actually warning
Othello not to fall prey to jealousy and suspect Desdemona of cheating on him with
Cassio. Othello is afraid to lose his most prized possession, Desdemona. What is more,
he is even more jealous because of his racial insecurities, and he thinks that he is losing
her to a white man due to his race. Not only did Othello let his race cloud his judgement,
but also the manipulation of Iago. Iago comes across as honest and trying to protect him
from jealously, even though he is actually exploiting his hamartia. On the other hand,

the handkerchief is a piece of false evidence which further induces his jealousy.
Othello thinks that the handkerchief is a representation of their love. If it is lost,
Desdemona is lost. While his judgement is clouded by jealousy, he starts to be believe all
of the evidence and all of what Iago says. With regards to the handkerchief, when
Othello comes looking for it, Emilia realizes he is jealous Is he not jealous?, and
attempts to warn Desdemona. At the end of the play, Othello acknowledges what he did
was wrong, but thinks that he is not a jealous man by nature Of one not easily jealous,
but being wrought, perplexed in the extreme. (345-346). Othello thinks here that once he
was tricked by Iago, he became extremely mad and confused. Considering all of this,
Othello is a tragic hero, clearly shown to have a major flaw of jealousy, and the element
of hamartia exists as an important part of the play.
In spite of Othellos hamartia, we still feel sympathy or pathos for him. At the start
of the play, the first people we meet are Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio. These three men
are all jealous and want to go against Othello, who we know is a good, accomplished
noble. Iago and Roderigo often state their evil plans to the audience I hate the Moor,
and it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets 'has done my office. (1.3.429-433), and
they use many racist terms in the play "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is
tupping your white ewe" (1.1.88-89). Brabantio tries to make him jealous, but at this time
Othello has confidence in his high power and abilities, therefore he is able to beat
Brabantio in his attempts. Othello seems like a good guy at this point so we feel
sympathy for him as these other men attack him and for the racism he experiences. As the
play goes on we can see clearly that Iago is manipulating him and Othello starts to
present himself worse and worse. We see him suffer with his own self and go through fits.
We actually start to feel less pathos for Othello, and more to others such as Desdemona
as the play approaches the climax. Although, at some point we may lose all respect for
Othello when he causes misery due to his own flaw, we feel the element of pathos for
Othello when he is bullied by other characters.
Hubris or excessive self-confidence is shown by Othello in the play multiple times
with its connection to his hamartia and downfall. During the court in front of the Duke,
Othello shows his large pride in his title and achievements. We know that he told stories
to Brabantio about his accomplishments Her father loved me, oft invited me, still
questioned me the story of my life from year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes, that I
have passed. I ran it through, even from my boyish days, to th' very moment that he bade
me tell it. (1.3.130-135). Being that, Desdemona was drawn to him by the stories and it
further showed his self-pride. Othellos pride prevents him from seeing what is wrong,
especially his own thoughts. He cannot realize that it is him who is being disloyal, rather

than Desdemona. Since Othello thinks he couldnt possibly be wrong in his judgement,
he doesnt bother to talk to Desdemona about it. Similarly to his jealousy, his hubris
clouds his judgement and leads to his downfall.
Othello greatly changed our feelings about him at the end of the play, where we feel
catharsis. Throughout the play we are feeling pathos for Othello, but our feelings
completely change when he kills Desdemona. At this point we can see that he has evil
within him, and we lose respect for him. We feel a lot of stress during this time because
something horrible has happened. After this catastrophe, Othello admits the things he has
done wrong Of one that loved not wisely, but too well. Of one not easily jealous, but
being wrought, perplexed in the extreme. Of one whose hand, like the base Indian, threw
a pearl away richer than all his tribe. Of one whose subdued eyes, albeit unused to the
melting mood, drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees their medicinal gum. (5.2.162-170).
He realizes his mistakes and, in a sense, redeems himself. We feel catharsis, a cleansing
of emotions, as through this final struggle, we understand the previous struggles he went
through. It is a tragic event of course, but nonetheless a resolution. Despite a loss of
good, evil is defeated. The play gives us a feeling of catharsis, as we finish the tragedy
feeling relieved of the unfortunate events, rather than depressed by them.
On the subject of catharsis, even though there is relief, the play still ends with
numerous deaths, a catastrophe. Not able to see his mistakes in time, Othello strangles
Desdemona, killing her. We can see that his mind is made up and because of his flaws,
Othello wont listen to anything Desdemona says. Here, from Othello, Emilia discovers
the villainy of her husband Iago, who kills her. Iago is wounded by Othello as well as
arrested. Granted his actions, we have lost sympathy and respect for Othello at this
point. Additionally, though we have known Iagos villainy through the entire play, all the
characters now learn of his crimes. This catastrophe is the tragic moment that Othellos
hamartia brought into being with aid from Iagos manipulation.
The elements of tragedy present in this play show that Othello can be considered a
classic Shakespearean tragedy. Othello proves himself to be a tragic hero with a hamartia
of jealously which moreover brings his downfall. We feel pathos for the protagonist as
characters such as Iago show racism and try to manipulate him. Hubris is also shown by
Othello as he fails to see the possibility of himself being wrong. We feel catharsis when
he owns up to his faults after killing his wife. We see the horrible end result of
catastrophe involving the death of the protagonist and other major characters. With a
clear beginning, middle, and end, the play also has a defined plot. With all these elements
present, we can consider Othello a tragedy.