A Man’s Character Is His Fate to What Extent Is Othello’s Own Character?

A mans character is his fate. To what extent is Othellos take character the ca role of his d givef all in all? According to Aristotles Poetics, a classical tragic hero should be renowned and prosperous, superior in some specific way, so that the reversal of fortunes or downfall, stirs up feelings within the auditory modality of a massiveer intensity. Such disastrous results atomic number 18 lots triggered by the mistake of the tragic hero due to their tragic brand or hamartia, which is often linked to hubris or excessive pride.In Shakespeares Othello, as a General of the Venetian army, Othello meets these criteria, as his mistake is to trust fairish Iago and convince himself that revenge upon Desdemona will lead to repay and success. In fact, as with most tragic heroes, it is this decision which leads to his destruction. However, it is important to consider whether Othellos cave in was the inevitable result of the defects in his character or whether there were early(a) fo rces, outside of his control, which led him to his doom.If it is solely Othellos hamartia which leads to his downfall, then it moldiness be related to the change in his perception of Desdemona. In second 1, when warned by Brabantio that Desdemona uncontaminatingthorn also deceive Othello, Othello retorts passionately My life upon her religious belief The exclamation here demonstrates the dedication and trust that Othello feels towards his new wife, but by Act 3, Othello is already beginning to question her By the world,/ I envisage my wife by honest, and I think she is not (3. 3. 389).Shakespeares use of cosmic resourcefulness when Othello swears illustrates the magnitude of Othellos resentment at his own hesitation, as his judgement is usually impulsive, as in Aleppo, (5. 2. 361) when he knew this instant to smote him thus, as he was certain of his enemy, but in this case, doubt has impaired his vision and he is unsure who to trust his new wife or honest Iago. Othellos per ipeteia occurs when he decides to trust Iago however, the audience are surprised at this decision, as it is unclear what has changed his perception of Desdemona so that he condemns her as that cunning whore of Venice (4. . 88). Some critics are of the mind that it is jealousy that has clouded his judgement thus, and argue that this must be his hamartia. However, it is every bit possible that Shakespeare has given Othello the fitness of character that Aristotle pleadd was an important own of a tragic hero, as his true hamartia whitethorn be his value of the honour-shame culture which existed among European Elizabethan warriors, and is linked to the hubris common in tragic heroes.It can be argued that the shame induced by the estimate of his wifes unfaithfulness results in his downfall, which Shakespeare expresses through animalistic imagery I had rather be a toad/ And live upon the evaporation of a dungeon/ Than keep a corner in the amour I distinguish/ For opposites uses. T herefore, Desdemonas murder becomes an act of sacrificial love A murder which I thought a sacrifice (5. 2. 64) as he feels that else shell betray more men. Perhaps it is for this apprehension that, in his terminal scene, Othello says For naught I did in hate, but all in honour (5. 2. 301) and calls himself An honourable murderer. Either way, possible flaws like these suggest that Othellos downfall was his own doing as such traits may have operate him to trust Iago and murder Desdemona, actions which in his anagnorisis led to utmost(prenominal) suffering, and caused him to commit suicide. Alternatively, Othellos impulsive and passionate nature could also have contributed to his downfall, as this may have been his hamartia.This would fit the necessary consistency outlined by Aristotle, as the same passion and instantaneous response can be prove in his reaction to Brabantio in scene 1 as in the later scenes, in his immediate reaction to Iagos suggestive statements. At first Othel lo responds calmly Why dost thou ask? But the more evasive Iago is of such questions, the more it riles Othello and Shakespeare uses cosmic imagery when Othello swears such as By heaven, Ill know thy thoughts to demonstrate the value that Othello assigns to Iagos opinions.When Iago lastly suggests that Desdemona is dishonest, Othello trusts Iago to Give him the eyepiece proof (3. 3. 361), and some critics may argue that this flush decision to trust Iago is proof that Othello is impulsive, causing him to make foolish decisions. It is for this reason that he accepts Iagos story of Cassios dream as the ocular proof even though Iago admits Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream Othello immediately reacts Ill tear her all to pieces (3. 3. 433).Shakespeare then uses dark and malignant imagery to march Othellos passionate rage with phrases such as Arise black vengeance and tyrannic hate Such imagery would have been significant to an Elizabethan audience, as they considered the colour white to symbolise purity and goodness, whereas black had strong connotations of the d repulsiveness, evil and uncleanness, thus highlighting the wickedness in Othellos disposition. Therefore, this can be used as evidence that Othello was precisely convinced byIagos flimsy suggestions because he was led by passion and impulse, macrocosm Perplexed in the extreme by rage, instinctively trusting Iago. The motivation of blood line that Shakespeare includes supports this O, blood, blood, blood (3. 3. 452) as it has connotations of violence, therefore foreshadowing the violence of the final act, in which the motif is repeated by Desdemona Some bloody passion shakes your very wander showing the connection between Othellos hamartia and Desdemonas murder.On the new(prenominal) hand, it can be argued that Othellos downfall was not his own doing. In Act 3 scene 3, Shakespeare first suggests that Othello truly doubts Desdemona when he says, And that how nature erring from itself- (3. 3. 229) because he thinks that being white, Desdemona would prefer a white man like Cassio to himself. Such racial insecurities are highlighted in Othellos character throughout the play, and may be the reason behind the mental strain that he takes to impress people through his speech and experiences.However this line implies that Othellos doubt in Desdemona were the result of racial insecurities, and whilst they could be singular to him, the prejudices that existed against Moors in the Elizabethan era, and in the play suggest otherwise. Queen Elizabeth complained in 1601 of the great numbers of Negars and Blackamoors which are crept into this realm, 1 a feeling also explicit in the play when Othello is condemned as an old black ram (1. 1. 89) and a Barbary horse (1. 1. 111). Such animalistic illustrations emphasise the low opinion that Elizabethans had of Blackamoors, which may have been the root of Othellos downfall.Similarly, the unconventionality of Othellos marriage to D esdemona rebelled against Elizabethan ideology, being contrary to nature as critic Karen Newman put it, which presented an obstacle in itself. Their marriage broke the natural post causing chaos and consequently, as in most tragedies, this chaotic force had to be destroyed for order to be restored. Such ideals may be evidence that the couples ruin was inevitable, as to an Elizabethan audience, they symbolised the unnatural, chaotic force which must be overthrown.Alternatively, it is equally possible that although Othello had many flaws, it was Iago who acted as a catalyst by exposing them, thus causing Othellos downfall. Shakespeare frequently alludes to this through recurring motifs which show Iagos power of corruption, the first of these being poison. For example, when plotting, Iago refers to poison when he says Ill pour pestilence into his ear (2. 3. 346), and then in the final scene, Lodovico summarises the 3 corpses as poisons sight, thus demonstrating the link between Iagos function and the plight of Othello and those around him.Shakespeare builds upon this manipulation through the motif of vacateing, as Iago vows to turn her virtue into pitch (2. 3. 350), in the same way that Othello turns Turk through the metaphor in his final speech, an turbaned Turk traduced the state And smote him thus (5. 2. 349-52), and is evidence of Iagos success in turning Othello from a General into an enemy of the state. Similarly, the black and white imagery of virtue and pitch is repeated by Othello himself when referring to Desdemonas reputation begrimed and black/As mine own face. However, begrimed implies that both characters are stained, but as Desdemona is innocent, and Othellos catching ethnicity determines his skin colour, the simile could relate to Iagos manipulation, and the darkness that he has brought upon the couple. This is reflect by the transformation of Othellos language formerly grand verse line depicting his former successes becomes sinister and dar k, with animalistic imagery of goats, monkeys, toads, and poisonous snakes, and wicked metaphors for Desdemona such as fair devil, which liken his language to that of Iago.These changes are evidence of the vital role of Iago in Othellos downfall, suggesting that Othellos flaws, although numerous, may not have been fatal. It is for this reason that the phrase Perplexed in the extreme in Othellos final soliloquy, can take on a double meaning, as although Othellos passionate emotions of jealousy, rage, and shame clouded his judgement, Iagos ability to manipulate, which Shakespeare has emphasised through his use of repeated motifs and imagery, could have been the other vital factor.It was this combination that influenced Othello to make the fatal and mistaken decision that Iagos suspicions were correct and believe that his honour would be regained if he took vengeance upon Desdemona. Iago was only successful because of Othellos hidden flaws, but equally Othellos flaws were late buried within him, allowing him to become a General of the Venetian army, proving that they were not fatal, but aroused by skilful manipulators like Iago. 1584 words Bibliography 1 = http//www. suite101. om/content/elizabeth-i-motives-for-expulsion-of-blackamoors-from-london-a248507 A. C. Bradley (1904) Shakespearian Tragedy, New York Palgrave Macmillan Beard & Kent (2008) AQA AS English books B, Cheltenham Nelson Thornes Marian Cox (2003) AS/ A-Level Student Text Guide, Othello, William Shakespeare Oxfordshire Phillip Allan Updates http//www2. cnr. edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics. hypertext markup language http//www. britaininprint. net/shakespeare/study_tools/race. html William Shakespeare (2003) Othello Edited by Norman Sanders Cambridge Cambridge University Press