Exemplar Essay – Othello
Q: Shakespeare’s tragedies generally conclude with the downfall and death of the noble protagonist.
Discuss with detailed supporting evidence, whether or not Othello can be considered
a ‘noble protagonist’, given his murderous actions at the end of the play.
Othello is a Shakespearean tragedy about Othello, the respected General of Venice and his downfall at the hand of the evil Iago’s manipulation. However, Othello does not fit the role of the usual noble protagonist, as he appears to have more than the usual
‘tragic flaw’ and is not necessarily the main character in the play.
In typical Shakespearian tragedies, the protagonist has a flaw that leads to his downfall.
Whilst Othello does have a fatal flaw – jealousy – we are also forced to question his sanity. When Iago raises the idea of Desdemona having an affair with Cassio, Othello reacts alarmingly quickly, instantly believing Iago. This is due to Othello’s trusting and
‘honest’ nature, but we also have to wonder if he had already been suspicious of
Desdemona in order for his behaviour to be justified. In Act One, when Brabantio finds out that his daughter has married ‘the Moor’, he warns Othello that Desdemona has deceived her own father and may too deceive her husband. This plants a seed of doubt in Othello’s mind and aligns with other insecurities Othello has which he reveals when he tries to find reasons that Desdemona has cheated on him; he is ‘old and black.’ This leads us to believe that Othello was already predisposed to being jealous and paranoid that Desdemona would not love him. We have to wonder where this element of the relationship would have lead them, had Iago not interefered. This negative aspect of
Othello’s character counts against him as the ‘noble protagonist.’
Furthermore, Othello’s rash actions and lack of logic and reasoning continue to suggest that Othello was less than the brave, loyal man he was thought to be. It is unsettling how Othello immediately orders Cassio to be dead ‘within three days’ upon hearing of the alleged affair between Cassio and Othello’s beloved wife. This changes his view on his beloved ‘chaste’ wife and he now believes her death is the only answer to this situation. It is hard for us, as a modern audience, to understand that Othello’s honour and reputation is so important to him that he is distraught at the effect that
Desdemona’s infidelity would have on his name and career, yet he responds by killing his wife and is less worried how that crime will tarnish his reputation. The fact also, that he consciously plans to commit the murder yet asks for ‘one more kiss’ establishes
Othello as a villainous character rather than a noble protagonist. This contrasts to the protagonist of another of Shakespeare’s tragedies, MacBeth, in which the principal hero’s (Macbeth) fatal flaw initially is his unbridled ambition, which drives him to commit his first murder. The rest of his murderous acts are a result of his guilt, showing that he does still have a conscience. Othello, however, commits murder out of cool, calculated planning, and appears to have no conscience when he kills his wife. Indeed, he is more worried about his reputation (as we have already previously noted),

imploring the gathered noblemen to not ‘speak badly’ of him. It is incredibly hard to fathom how heartless Othello could be and this makes us doubt his position as noble protagonist and align him with the ‘hellish villain’, Iago.
Othello also does not seem to be the main character in the play, as a Shakespearian protagonist usually is. Iago is clearly more important. We are shown more of Iago’s complex character than ever we see of Othello, through soliloquies that reveal his true feelings and sheer stage time which eclipses all others. We understand Iago’s motives much more clearly. Iago easily mimics the manners of other character’s by slipping easily between verse and prose which shows us Iago’s true genius and ability to influence those around him. We see also, that Iago has flaws that lead to his own downfall and this makes us have some (albeit limited) sympathy for him. We see that perhaps, in juxtaposition to Iago, Othello suffers from more than a simple ‘tragic flaw’ and that perhaps he got what he deserved in the same way as ‘evil’ Iago. This negative characteristic of Othello counts against him as a noble protagonist.
Othello’s many negative qualities that result in his murderous actions at the end of the play means that he does not fit the usual role of a Shakespearian hero. Iago’s dominance has lead some to suggest that the play itself should be named ‘Iago’. These elements cause us to question whether the play as a whole really fits into the typical role of a Shakespearian tragedy.