Essay (worth 20 marks)

Word count: 1000 words.

Write an essay that responds to the following question:

The fatal flaw of a tragic hero necessitates an accomplice.

To what extent is the play's antagonist, Iago, responsible for the tragic
downfall of Othello?
In your response, you must support your argument with close textual analysis of
Shakespeare’s Othello.

Introduction:

Shakespeare’s Othello (1603) exposes the complexities of human nature, that is, the
manipulation, obsession and human hamartia’s embodied by characters in the play.
Othello explores duality and aspects of dysfunction in relationships of passion,
union, oneself and how power imbalances like deception can lead to the destruction
of relationships. Comparably, these power disparities assist in one’s own downfall
but in this case, the downfall of another. Shakespeare’s nuanced and complex
portrayal of Othello’s downfall not only reveals the ‘fatal flaws’ of Othello’s
character but also the working of Iago as he is the accomplice created to serve as a
catalyst for his destruction. Upholding the tragic pattern, it is the amalgamation of
Othello’s hamartia and Iago acting as a mechanism which drives Othello to his
downfall by anagnorisis.

Para 1 – Othello [aim 350 words]:

Othello can be interpreted as merely innocent and credulous by nature while also
exhibiting emotional polarity throughout the play. However, only characterising
Othello as gullible and self-deceptive diminishes the holistic value of his character as
well as the text. As critic H. Gardner states, “Othello is not a study in pride, egoism,
or self-deception: its subject is sexual jealousy, loss of faith in a form which involves
the whole personality [...]” (159). Akin to Gardner’s statement, Othello isn’t entirely
a victim of Iago’s manipulation but instead, a man that is a victim of his own faults
in which he is provoked by an external force (i.e., Iago) to his own downfall. The
audience witness Othello in a longer state of bliss than that of the protagonists in
other Shakespearian tragedies like Macbeth or Hamlet. This structural choice allows
the audience to develop appreciation toward Othello and ascertain that Othello’s
‘tragic qualities’ are somewhat based upon human strengths. Amidst the play, in Act
3 scene 3, the grotesque imagery of Iago’s statement, “O beware, my lord, of
jealousy: It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” Serves
as a metaphor and personification of jealousy. And “that cuckhold lives in bliss who
certain of his fate loves not his wronger” foreshadows Othello’s downfall and
insinuates that he is ignorant, blinded by virtue and “lives in bliss”. The affect Iago’s
statement has on Othello is one that defines his inevitable downfall. By posing
jealousy as a “green-eyed monster” that “mock[s] the meet it feeds on” presages the
nurtured flaw in Othello as well as the language he adopts later in the play that
manifests “his fate”. Othello is too honest, and Iago realises the possession of these
qualities as “The Moor is of free and open nature that thinks men honest that seem
to be so” and takes advantage of this. Critic J. McLauchlan’s insightful statement,
“Iago, through knowledge of his victim’s nature [...] rouse latent destructive
passions in Othello” gives gravitas to this idea. McLauchlan also points out Othello’s
“destructive passions” which draws pathos to his struggle between passion and
reason, maintaining balance between emotion and control. Perhaps Iago is also
revealing that as Othello “is of free and open nature” and “thinks men honest that
seem to be so” shows that he may have too much trust in Iago. Furthermore, Iago
may be declaring to Othello that he himself should not be trusted, that he puts on a
façade. This could be his way of ‘having fun’ and playing with Othello, but again,
Othello doesn’t pick up on this which affirms another fatal flaw; he is heavily reliant
on reputation. By characterizing Othello as naïve would propose the idea that he is
purely a victim and that his downfall is solely based upon Iago’s iniquitous
behaviour. However, it is due to the combination of Othello’s hamartia’s and the
external force provoking him which drive him to insanity.

Para 2 – Iago + Othello [aim 350 words]:

Shakespeare’s representation of Iago as being antithetical to Othello is reflected

through their relationship. One which is heavily based on power, control and the
false quality of honesty mindlessly placed on certain characters. Perhaps Othello is
an analogy for battle in which he is the military general, praised through epithets of
“noble and valiant Moor” and comparing him to “this heavenly light”. Yet Iago,
through hyperbolic language is regarded as a “fellow [with] exceeding honesty”.
Though, it has been made clear from the plays beginning that Iago is anything but
honest. In Act 1 scene 1, the axiom of Iago follows, “I am not what I am” which
serves as a paradox that is reflected within him. This creates the notion of a twofold
personality, fabricating his demeanour under corrupted axioms of “Honest Iago”.
Iago is undoubtedly a shrewd and malevolent character that plays a vital role in
catalysing Othello’s ruin. Iago astutely plays trickery on the mind and speech of
others which critic L. Hopkins says, “tricks of mind and speech hover just below the
level of full consciousness.”. In Act 2 scene 3, Iago’s plan comes to fruition as he
states “[He]’ll pour this pestilence into his ear”. The “pestilence” acting as a
metaphor for planting diseased thoughts in Othello’s mind which not only
foreshadows the effect of his schemes on Othello’s reasoning, but also his physical
and verbal state. As women in the Elizabethan era were valued for their chastity and
loyalty to their husbands, Iago centres his manipulation around female (i.e.
Desdemona’s) infidelity to which Cassio is labelled Desdemona’s paramour. Female
sexual promiscuity was highly disesteemed, resulting in great embarrassment for the
cuckholded husband. Thus, Iago through understanding of Othello’s flaws, knows
Othello will have the most impulsive and violent reaction if convinced of
Desdemona’s affair. A dichotomy introduced through the contrast of black and
white shows the progression of Othello’s gentle nature which digresses into
savagery. His fall can be followed through the use of natural, and theological
language saying, “Rough quarries, rocks and hills whose heads touch heaven”, in
contrast with barbaric prose alike Iago’s. Othello’s enragement is presented in
fragmented and grotesque imagery in which he cries “Oh, Blood, Blood, Blood!” and
“I had rather be a toad living upon the vapours of a dungeon”. This relationship
counters the misconception of Othello and Iago which lie in the judgement of two
extremes; the innocent and naïve tragic hero basically named a fool, and the
evil/inhumane Iago posing as a devil’s advocate. Perhaps acknowledging this
contrast facilitates the idea Shakespeare was trying to convey of Othello and Iago as
dual beings as well as what unifies them both in terms of human nature.

Shakespeare displays fatal flaws in Othello as a way of exaggerating and exposing

the faults of human nature. It is through the exploration and portrayal of Othello
and Iago’s relationship that highlight the duality and complexity of morality. In light
of Shakespeare’s depiction of dysfunction in relationships and self, creates the notion
of an accomplice fabricated due to human hamartia’s. Thus, Iago takes partial
responsibility for Othello’s downfall as it is the combination of Othello’s tragic flaws
and Iago serving as a catalyst for his deposition.
Paragraph 1 – sample text (own writing):

In the opening acts of the tragedy, Othello is characterised as an eloquent,

honourable, and capable general that displays a genuine love for Desdemona. He is
praised through Epithets on the account of military success, including “Brave
Othello” and “our noble and valiant general”. However, in conjunction to the
common consensus about Othello, his distorted perception of himself serves as an
indication to one of his tragic flaws. Through the racist and degrading language of
Othello as an “old black ram” and “violent Moor”, Brabantio and Rodrigo arouse
thoughts of insecurity. Allied with this idea, Othello sees that perhaps he isn’t what
people make of him and realises that “happily [he] is black and have not the soft
parts in conversation that chamberers have”. He allows his insecurities to prevail
over duty, reputation, and love. Othello also starts off the play with a “nature whom
passion could not shake” but when Desdemona’s infidelity is suggested by Iago,
Othello’s “passion having best judgement collied, assays to lead the way”. The
personification of passion foreshadows Othello’s unravelling and the removal of
himself from his actions.

 Othello gives us a central character whose view of events is so divorced both

from our own and from ‘reality’ that he has lent his name to a delusional
psychiatric condition, the Othello syndrome
 Not only does Othello insistently emphasise the telling of stories, it also
shows, in Iago’s case, the means by which they are concocted, and such
means, grippingly, seem to include tricks of mind and speech hovering just
below the level of full consciousness.

Othello isn’t entirely a victim of Iago’s manipulation but instead, a man that is a
victim of his own faults in which he is provoked to commit.

Othello is portrayed as a noble and kind man while he exhibits emotional polarity as
the play eventuates. Antithetically, Iago is illustrated as a shrewd and Machiavellian
character that plots

 Anagnorisis – ignorance to knowledge which is exactly what happens to

Othello in Act 3 when he is made to believe he is a cuckhold and that Des isn’t
loyal
 Peripeteia – the turning point of events --> steadily to its finale

explores the complexities of relationships, that is, deficiency in relationships.

- anomoly
He enters play with a “nature whom passion could not shake” but when Iago
suggests Desdemona’s infidelity Othello’s “passion having best judgement collied,
assays to lead the way”. The personification of passion foreshadows his unravelling
and allows Othello to remove himself from his actions, assuming his fraudulence.

Othello’s fall can be tracked through his use of language from idyllic, classical,
religious, and natural allusions and eloquent language in verse “rough quarries,
rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven” to base, cruel language in prose, similar
to that of Iago’s. His loss of control manifests in disjointed and nonsensical syntax
and grotesque imagery of “Goats and monkeys!” Crying for “Blood, blood, blood”.
—> Othello is not just gullible and subject to evil of Iago because he possesses such
abrasiveness yet not entirely a fraud either, as he has qualities of honesty and
strength too biased on his earlier character.

Travels from his measured to monstrous self, presenting both sides of man (duality).

Yet, the misconception of Othello and Iago lies in the judgement of two extremes; the
innocent and naïve tragic hero basically named a fool, and the evil/inhumane Iago
posing as a devil’s advocate. Though there are elements of these characteristics in
Othello and Iago, dubbing Othello as a victim and Iago with purely heinous
disposition undermines the complexity and humanity of their actions. Perhaps
acknowledging this contrast facilitates the idea Shakespeare was trying to convey of
Othello and Iago as dual beings as well as what unifies them both in terms of human
nature.

Though there are elements of these characteristics in Othello and Iago, dubbing
Othello as a victim and Iago with purely heinous disposition undermines the
complexity and humanity of their actions.