Othello isn't a tragic hero

Othello: Tragedy and Error

Many would argue that Othello is a tragic hero to some degree. Being destined for downfall from the beginning, Othello remained a victim of senseless nature whose ultimate fate was the evil he possessed inside of himself provoked by the actions and words of others. With that in mind, awarding the character of Othello with a heroic title would seem plausible; however, the flaws in his characteristics would lead me to argue otherwise. Othello allowed his pride to overcome his bearing with reality. His jealousy and rage did not allow him to think clearly with his mind. Being someone of Othello’s rank, he is required to make every action with the overall well being of his people and his homeland in mind. But even as a king, his insecurities stayed dominant, and his actions negatively impacted the welfare of a whole number of people including that of himself, Iago and Desdemona. Jealousy: an evil human emotion prominent in this play. Iago planted a seed in Othello’s head early on in an attempt to convince him that his wife, Desdemona, was being unfaithful to him. Ironically, Iago is reacting to feelings of jealousy himself, recently beginning to suspect that his wife was having secret relations with Othello. Nonetheless, as the play progresses, it becomes very clear that the mind of the king was too burdened with fear of the unknown to act in the sane manner it once could. Othello confronts Desdemona about her missing handkerchief immediately following a conversation she had with Emilia, where Desdemona was more than confident that Othello would be understanding about the situation, not suspecting any foul play. After repeated questioning, we notice Othello get mad, storm away. We see, at this point, both Othello and Desdemona are no longer communicating with one another, but denying any counts of jealousy they have towards each other, ultimately ripping away their mindful grip of reality as rage sets up inside the hearts of both of