A man who is virtuous and has many sympathetic traits, a person with flaws people would consider fatal, a person wounded by experience: that person is a tragic hero, and a tragic hero is perfectly shown by Shakespeare's Othello.
Othello’s past is the reason he is the way he is today, his past is the reason he is considered a tragic hero. Him being a victim of racism “ his blackness is not only a mark of his physical alienation but a symbol, to which every character in the play”1.1. Having taken part in many wars and suffering from PTSD, he has developed a need for strong stability in trust with his soldiers and those around him such as his ensign. Being accused of witchcraft to make Desdemona fall in love with him, “ he never believed his daughter would marry Othello unless she was drugged or under some kind of spell” 3.3. The way he's been treated in the past because of war and being manipulated by Iago shows how wounded he is from his past.
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Othello’s true tragic flaw is that he is so vulnerable which makes it easy for others to control him, just as we see Iago do. “ I follow him to serve my turn upon him” 1.1. He internalizes iago’s negative view of black men, which undermines his sense of self, under Iago's influence Othello starts to consider the differences between himself and Desdemona as problematic. When he realizes this flaw he was guilty and it was too late to change which made him realize besides his past his flaws are his biggest weakness. Othello’s role in the play, him being one of the main side characters compliments his tragic flaws. When you look at his flaws you probably think about his jealousy, when Iago convinces him that Desdemona has been an unfaithful wife, then he succumbs to his jealousy and kills Desdemona and then himself. Or his gullibility by allowing Iago to manipulate his insecurities and influence his behavior by planting seeds of uncertainty, distrust, suspicion, and jealousy in Othello’s mind.
The color of Othello’s skin is even more obviously a crucial factor in his downfall. “ His visibly alien racial identity makes him and his bride far more vulnerable to the machinations of Iago than if he were an equally accomplished and indispensable white man. With Othello being so gullible he started to believe everything people were saying about him and started to make him have negative references to his own race suggesting that perhaps his blackness is to blame for his lack of consortial ability. Iago plays a role in Othello’s negative view about his own race, he manipulates Othello by convincing him that people harbor racist sentiments against him, although it wasn't true. Othello’s belief that racism exists not only brings about his downfall but gives others a reason to condemn his unstable behavior.
Othello struggles with many things but one more of his struggles which you could argue is one of the biggest reasons he is called a tragic hero is because of his lack of trust in his wife. Othello struggles with the idea that Desdemona is unfaithful, at first he refuses to believe it and demands proof he flusters Desdemona when she cannot produce a handkerchief he has given her. He overhears Cassio speaking of his affairs with Desdemona he sees the handkerchief in the hands of Cassio's mistress. Even though Desdemona really didn't cheat because Cassio hands Bianca Desdemona's handkerchief and asks her to copy the pattern on the handkerchief. At the beginning of all this, it was Iago who planned all this and tricked Othello. Iago shares his evil plan for a Desdemona handkerchief; he will put it in Cassio's room for evidence that Desdemona and Cassio have been having an affair. He understands that his gift from Othello to Desdemona might be a trinket to some but bere a lot of meaning to other people. Even after Desdemona tries to defend herself and tell the truth, Othello still can't bring himself to trust Desdemona and continues to allow himself to be manipulated and controlled by Iago. Eventually, Othello is driven mad by this and allows his jealousy to take over and one night after Desdemona has retired to bed he approaches her bed and strangles her to death but even after she still continues to declare love for him.
Although Othello has been through a lot, Ann has many flaws; his biggest flaw is the way he allows himself to be controlled by Iago. Iago skillfully exploits Othello through his dextrous use of words. Earlier in the play, Othello refuses to believe Iago and about his wife but Iago manages to overpower Othello and deceive him Iago manipulates him through his words. Othello allowing himself to be manipulated like this shows the level of gullibility he has because of his being tricked into what leads to him being driven mad and him killing his wife and himself. This man who experienced hell in his past and continues to suffer hell in his presence is a man whose flaws would be considered fatal because, in the end, it was fatal for him, this man is Shakespeare's Othello.
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