Othello's Flaws Essay

Tragic flaws could be the life or death of any person. When someone uses these flaws against someone else it could be the end. It could ruin their relationships, their emotions, and even their life. Othello is a play production by William Shakespeare that takes place in Venice Italy during the 16th century. Othello is the main character and is the war general of the Venetian army. Othello married a beautiful woman named Desdemona. She is the son of a Brabantio who is a Venetian army senator. He does not support the marriage between his daughter and Othello because of Othello’s race. Othello does not care and takes Desdemona under his arm and he wants to live alone with her. Since Othello is the general of the army he is assigned to protect

Othello has been questioning the idea that Desdemona has been cheating on him with his own lieutenant Cassio. Othello is insecure about his relationship with Desdemona and believes that there is a relationship between Cassio and Desdemona. Othello is questioning Iago about this relationship and says “Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but I think’st him wronged and mak’st his ear a Stranger to thy thoughts” (Shakespeare 3.3.167-169). Othello is questioning and wondering if there is something wrong with his relationship with Desdemona. He believes that Iago knows something about this relationship and wants to try and pry the information out of his loyal follower Iago. The more and more that Othello tries to get this information the more he will be insecure and wonder if his relationship with Desdemona. Othello is also impulsive and reacts to problems very quickly without completing his own research. Othello believes that when there is one bad turn it is all over. He doesn't care if it could be fake; he believes everything from his most loyal follower, Iago. Othello believes that he knows for a fact that Desdemona is not loyal and is sleeping with Cassio. Othello cries for help and just wants it to all be over since the only thing he loves is Desdemona has cheated on him and will be gone forever he

Iago knows that Othello trusts him and will believe almost everything that he says. Iago takes advantage of this and tries to plant ideas that Desdemona is cheating on Othello with Cassio. When Othello is trying to figure out who was standing and talking with his wife Desdemona he turns to Iago, and Iago says, “Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it that he would steal away so guiltylike, seeing your coming” (Shakespeare 3.3.41-43). Iago knows that Othello is insecure, and has been questioning his relationship with Desdemona so Iago tries to plant the first seed in Othello’s head that these ideas may be true. Iago is just trying to start stirring the pot of emotions and feelings inside Othello’s head. He is trying to just have Othello have more questions that wanted to be answered. Iago also knows Othello’s second tragic flaw of being impulsive and quick to jump to conclusions. Iago puts that last idea to turn Othello over, Iago says “I know not that; but such handkerchief-I am sure it was your wife’s-did I today see Cassio wipe his beard with” (Shakespeare 3.3.496-498). This one final piece of fictional evidence is what finally made Othello believe that his wife had left him for Cassio. He could not handle it anymore and finally snapped.