The Tragic Hero’s Downfall

Throughout life hero’s will show up
whenever people are in trouble. It maybe be the day to day hero’s that are seen
giving back to the homeless or finding a runaway dog. It can also be the hero’s
that save people’s lives everyday, but the rarest of all is the tragic hero. A
tragic hero is a person who has heroic traits, but also has flaws that lead to
their own downfall or self-destruction. In William Shakespeare’s play “Othello”
Othello is the tragic hero because of his greatness and flaws. He is an
honorable noble man due to his military ranking and his genuine heart. Othello
has great control over himself and shows courage. Even though Othello is a good
person he has flaws. One flaw that Othello has is being blinded by people’s
trust and not seeing their true colors. Othello can get jealous easily and is
gullible. By being blinded and getting jealous easily is how Iago manipulates
Othello in believing his wife is cheating. Throughout the play Othello has a
lot of trust, then later get suspicious about things, and finally lets
jealously take over him.

In the beginning of the play Othello
has a lot of trust in people especially his wife Desdemona. According to the
text, “I do beseech you, Send for the lady to the Sagittary, And let her
speak of me before her father. If you do find me foul in her report The trust,
the office I do hold of you, Not only take away, but let your sentence Even
fall upon my life.” Act 1, Scene 3 (lines 117-122). This shows that Othello has
all his trust in his wife Desdemona that he would bet his own life on her and
not have any doubts about it. Othello also believes that his ensign Iago is
trustworthy and so has faith in him. In the text Othello says, “So please
my grace, mu ancient. A man he is of honesty and trust. To his conveyance I
assign my wife, With what else needful your good grace shall think To be sent
after me.” Act 1, Scene 3 (lines 284-287). This shows that Othello puts an
incredible amount of trust in Iago to get his beloved wife Desdemona across the
open sea. By seeing all the trust Othello puts in people shows that he can be
easily tricked and manipulated.

As the play progresses Othello
starts to carry suspicions about his wife Desdemona. According to the play,
“Through that her jesses were my dear heartstrings, I’d whistle her off
and let her down the wind To prey at fortune…Into the vale of years –yet
that’s not much-She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief Must be to loathe her.

Oh, curse of marriage That we can call these delicate creatures ours And not
their appetites!” Act 3, scene 3 (line 265-274).  This shows that Othello trusts Iago word
about Desdemona and if she is actually seeing someone else. He will send her
away even though it will break his heart. Othello’s suspicion rose again when he
said “Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore, Be sure of it. Give me the
ocular proof Or by the worth of mine eternal soul Thou hadst been better have
been born a do Than answer my waked wrath!” Act 3, Scene 3 (line 367-371) This
tells you that Othello reached the breaking point of all the things that were
told about Desdemona and demands Iago to give him proof about all these
accusations.

As the play come to an end,
Othello’s jealously starts to get out of control and cannot be contained
anymore. According to the text, “Lie with her? Lie on her? We say “lie on her”
when they belie her! First be hanged, and then to confess-I tremble at it.

Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion without some
instruction. It is not words that sake me thus.” Act 4 Scene 1 (34-40). This
clearly states Othello can contain his jealously for any time longer and will
do anything to kill Cassio. Another time when Othello releasing his jealously and
anger. Is when Othello said, “Was this fair paper, this most goodly book, Made
to write “whore” upon? What committed? Committed? O thou public commoner! I
should make very forges of my cheeks That would to cinders burn up modesty Did
I but speak thy deeds. What committed! Impudent strumpet! Act 4 Scene 2
(75-85). This shows that Othello’s jealousy has overcome come him and he will
insult anyone. For example, by calling Desdemona a brazen whore. At this point
Othello has been overcome with jealously and will do anything to hurt someone.

In conclusion, as Othello progressed
in the book it showed that people cannot be told one lie and be overcome with
an extreme amount of jealousy. They will also do anything to that person who is
the root of their problem. It tells us that you sometimes should not believe
what people say to you and do not let them get into your mind by sayings
things. You should instead confront the person who is at the root of your
problem and not make accusations if you do not know if it is true for certain.