Hamartias of Othello

A detailed Summary of Hamartias of Othello

In William Shakespeare's tragedy Othello, the hero, Othello, is plagued by his many hamartias. Termed by Aristotle around 330 B.C., hamartia is a tragic hero's "error or transgression or his flaw or weakness of character." (p.1296) Othello's hamartias include jealousy, a blind, unrealistic love for Desdemona, trusting others too easily, and his unrealized ability to deceive himself. These flaws, along with the help of Iago, cause Othello to loose everything he has including his life.

At first look at Othello, he shows no signs of jealousy and even entrusts his wife to Iago saying, "To his conveyance I assign my wife." (1.3.286) Othello also the great self control that is expected from someone who has been a warrior since he was seven years old as mentioned by, "for since these arms of mind has seven years pith ... they have used their dearest action in the tented field."(1.3.83-85) Iago begins to break down this self-control by talking of jealousy:

IAGO. O, beware, my lord, of jealousy.

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on. (3.3.178-179)

Although the play shows no indication of physical aggression by Othello, one can assume from the following speech there is s

Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof,

OTHELLO. I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;

Than answer my waked wrath! (3.3.375-379)

ome physical confrontation between Othello, and Iago:

Hamartias, flaws of the tragic hero, are an essential part of tragedies. Othello, plagued by hamartias, is doomed from the beginning of the play. His flaws of self-deception, blind love, jealousy, and trusting others too easily are what eventually kill him and his wife. Even though these flaws were brought to life with the aide of Iago, it truly is Othello who is at fault for loosing everything he had even his life.

The last, but not the least important, hamartia that Othello has is trusting others too easily, and not being able to trust the right person. Othello has a terrible time trying to choose whether to believe Iago and his wife, Desdemona. Othello needs to trust his wife even to the point that he cries out, "If she be false, O, the heaven mocks itself! / I'll not believe 't"(3.3.278-279) Othello has a hard time trusting anyone other than military men because he knows "little of this great world...more than pertains to feats of broils and battle." (1.3.88-89) The one thing that seems certain to him is Iago's friendship: "O brave Iago, honest and just." (5.1.32) In the end, Othello trusts Iago, his ensign, who has been with him in war which is a bad decision because later he finds out that eve

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Approximate Word count 957
Approximate Pages 4 250 words per page double spaced

Category: English

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