Thursday, May 21, 2020

Othello An Aristotelian Tragedy And Tragic Hero

Othello, an Aristotelian Tragedy and Tragic Hero When reading a story, specifically a tragedy, what stands out? Tragedy often enables its audience to reflect on personal values that might be in conflict with civil ideas, on the claims of minorities that it neglected or excluded from public life, on its on irrational prejudices toward the foreign of the unknown (Kennedy Gioia, 2103, p. 857). Readers feel sympathy for the characters, especially the tragic hero. Othello, the Moor of Venice is a prime example of a great tragic story which follows the example Aristotle brings to light in his Poetics (guidelines to drama). The Aristotelian definition of a tragedy and a tragic hero have certain requirements; these requirements are met in Othello, the Moor of Venice, as a story of imitation, incorporating pity, fear, perpeteia, anagnorisis, and catharsis, Othello is also seen as an Aristotelian tragic hero as someone that is good, appropriate, lifelike, of noble birth, is of high charact er, and who has a tragic flaw which meets the Aristotelian definition. The requirements for a work in drama to be considered an Aristotelian tragedy are explained in Aristotle’s Poetics. These requirements make it difficult to signify a drama as a tragedy. â€Å"Aristotle’s Poetics is a powerful, insightful, and informative document concerning the nature of art, but very few works have been written, Greek, Elizabethan, or modern, that conform to is standards for achieving the essential natureShow MoreRelatedOthello: The Tragedy of an Aristotelian Tragic Hero Essay1531 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeares play, â€Å"Othello, the Moor of Venice,† is a powerful example of a tragedy and it’s main character, Othello, is an excellent illustration of what Aristotle constitutes as a tragic hero. The play imitates life through basic human emotions such as jealousy and rage. In addition, Othello is far from being a perfect character - another quality that meets A ristotles requirements. Othello also matches Aristotles ideas of tragic hero because our Othello realizes the error of his ways, causingRead MoreEssay The Tragedy of Othello1292 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare masterfully crafted Othello, the Moor of Venice as an Aristotelian tragedy play. The main protagonist of the play, Othello, is the perfect example of a tragic hero. Shakespeare was influenced by Aristotle’s concept of a tragic hero and used Aristotle’s principles to create Othello. William Shakespeare attempted to create an Aristotelian tragedy play with a tragic hero and succeeded in Othello, the Moor of Venice by weaving in pity and fear into each line and action. The powerRead MoreShakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1517 Words   |  7 Pageswonder, who is Aristotle and why does he label Shakespeare’s play, Othello, as a tragedy? Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who defines Shakespeare’s character, Othello, as a tragic hero. Many parts in Othello tell the readers that the play is a tragedy, such as jealousy, arguing, and death, which makes the play famous and delightful to read. Aristotle has identified many common traits or characteristics that a tragic hero requires. In Shakespeare s play, Aristotle defines many featuresRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello, The Moor Of Venice1776 Words   |  8 PagesA tragedy is typically explained as a type of drama that displays pain and suffering, and where the main character, the protagonist, experiences a life changing event that alters his fortune from good too bad. William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the Moor of Venice is classified as an Aristotelian classical tragedy based on the guidelines Aristotle sets when examining a tragedy. Othello is a general in the Venetian army, and the husband of Desdemona, and well respected by society. The play describesRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Shakespeare s Othello1613 Words   |  7 Pages A tragedy is one of the most captivating forms of drama as it truly grasps the attention of its audience. It unleashes hidden emotions and allows the viewers to escape their own realities. In Aristotle’s, Poetics, he analyzes the theory of a tragedy and explains that the essential criteria of an ideal tragedy consists of the plot, character, thought, diction, spectacle, and song (Aristotle, 169). According to Aristotle, tragedies also often focus on a tragic hero who possesses a flaw which ultimatelyRead MoreA Scrutiny of Othellos Character as a Tragic Hero2197 Words   |  9 PagesIn Othello, the Moor of Venice, the titular character, Othello, is the protagonist and subject to scrutiny as to whether or not he is a tragic hero in the conventional Aristotelian definition of the term. Aristotle believed a tragedy served to exercise the mature citizens moral sensibilities (Ferrari, 1999, p. 181). There are several different components of Aristotles definition of a tragic hero, which essentially s erve as a set of criteria to determine whether or not Othello truly is a tragicRead MoreOthello is Not a Tragic Hero Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesOthello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is â€Å"Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?† Most readers are aware of the many famous deaths or acts of death within the Shakespearean plays. And when the main characters die in Shakespeare’s plays, indeedRead More Othello, The Moor of Venice Essay examples1319 Words   |  6 PagesOthello, the Moor of Venice is one of the major tragedies written by William Shakespeare that follows the main character, Othello through his trials and tribulations. Othello, the Moor of Venice is similar to William Shakespeare’s other tragedies and follows a set of specific rules of drama. The requirements include, following the definition of a tragedy, definition of tragic hero, containing a reversal of fortune, and a descent from happiness. William Shakespeare fulfills Aristotle’s requirementsRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Tragic Hero1295 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Aristotle, a Tragic Hero is described as a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her destruction. Aristotle once sa id that A man doesnt become a hero until he can see the root of his downfall. An Aristotelian tragic hero must possess specific characteristics, five of which are below: 1)Flaw or error of judgment (hamartia) Note the role of justice and revenge in the judgments. 2) A reversal of fortune (peripeteia) brought about because of the herosRead MoreAn Aristotelian Analysis of Othello1922 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Hansen Jiang Ms. Prendi ENG3U1 July 19, 2014 An Aristotelian Analysis of Othello A tragedy is an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress. Considering Aristotelian beliefs, a tragic hero is a great character whose character flaws eventually lead to their fall. Aristotle’s writing is indicative of what he believed to be a tragic hero, and the character Othello possesses each quality, meaning he is a successfully written tragic hero. He is of high status and nobility, both in position

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.