The protagonist must be an admirable but flawed character that the audience must be able to sympathise with. This precept of tragedy epitomises the character of Lear. In Aristotle's precept of tragedy the downfall of the protagonist is caused by hamartia or 'fatal flaw'. Lear's fatal flaw is his egotism. Despite giving the 'love test' to his daughters, he says in his interaction with Cordelia, 'I loved thee most', having decided beforehand to give her 'a third more opulent than your sisters'.
In act I of Othello - Iago, began his plan to make Othello lose faith in his wife. Roderigo is like Iago’s purse, because Roderigo likes Desdemona and wants to know more about her so he gives him whatever he needs because he fears that Iago has not been telling him enough about Desdemona. Roderigo finally realises that Iago has no loyalty to anyone, and that he is only out to benefit himself. He is the outsider in this situation. Cassio is simply a handsome, virile man and this makes Othello jealous.
This also creates dramatic irony as we know Iago did this intentionally to spite Othello. In act 3, scene 3 Iago warns Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of Jealousy. It is
He possesses an exterior glitter which is really sinister and which misleads everyone in the play. Iago’s jealousy and deception is brought about by Othello giving Cassio a promotion over himself and the play starts with Iago complaining to Roderigo, about ‘The Moor.’ Jealousy is a major theme in Othello and this is illustrated though characterisation and the use of imagery. From the beginning of Othello, it is established that Iago is driven by jealousy himself and uses it as his tool to bring about the downfall of Othello. Responders are immediately alerted to his scheming nature when he states “I follow him to serve my turn upon him.” The characterisation of Othello from the calm and reasoned military leader to the blind, enraged ‘blacker devil’ that responders witness in the end emphasises the potent poison that is jealousy. There isn’t a shred of the Othello from Act one left by the tragic ending of the play as highlighted by Lodovico “thou Othello, that wert once so good.” The mere possibility of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness and the question of her fidelity are unbearable for ‘valiant’ Othello, he would rather “the general camp, Pioners and all, had tasted her sweet body” than to have doubts floating in his mind.
Who is more jealous, Iago or Othello? "But jealous souls will not be answered so; They are not ever jealous for the cause, But jealous for they're jealous. 'Tis a monster Begot upon itself, born on itself." (Emilia 3.4.13)- Jealousy is a fundamental theme in the play and particularly evolves around the two main characters: Othello and Iago. Othello is more jealous than Iago because his actions are a straightforward and candid response to his jealousy.
There is no doubt in « Othello » as to the role Shakespeare has given Iago, he is the villain, masterful at deceit he generates most evil in the play. The clever soldier, his incredible acting allows him to be two or three completely different people. During most of the Act the audience finds itself constantly trying to find a motive for Iago’s actions but finds none that can justify what he is about to do. What does seem to come back again and again is his view on women which he sees as sex rapacious and a danger to his machiavellian plans. Scene 1 offers us a good preview as to what Iago is going to do for the rest of the Act and ultimately the rest of the play.
This is where the problem is rising up. Iago’s plan was to make Othello doubt and jealous about Desdemona. What Iago reported to Othello injected into him like a virus. He might kill her for cheating. As soon as Iago took off, Othello asked himself why he married.
An other traits of character of Othello that bring him to his downfall is his jealousy. Iago is playing with Othello about an affair between Desdemona and Cassio. Iago is just telling him that they are together and uses small details to prove Othello it really happened. Even with this lack of evidence, Othello choose to believe Iago because he is only thinking about what Desdemona possibly did to him. He is looking for a way to obtain revenge more than he is to find out the truth.
At the start of Othello’s soliloquy, in Act III scene iii, his sense of self-doubt is expressed by his love for Desdemona ‘if’ doubting Iago’s accusations claiming ‘men should be what they seem’. However, the audience can see a mental transition of Othello’s self-being as his language becomes harsher feeling ‘abused’ foreshadowing Desdemona’s tragic ending. The euphemism of Othello ‘whistles her off’ takes upon the Kantian approach of the hypothetical imperative. The hypothetical imperative suggests in order to achieve the summum bonum (highest good) you have to do something;
Line 329. The interesting part about this line is that Iago sees his evil plan as a “monstrous birth to light” Act 1. Sc 3. Line 12. that he will bring forward and succeed with. He states that he should make Othello believe that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with Cassio to get into Cassio’s