Hemenway the Tragedy of Pride: Othello and Research Paper

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Hemenway

The Tragedy of Pride: Othello and Oedipus

Tragedies most generally focus on a hero that has a tragic flaw or hamartia, which ultimately leads to his downfall. This flaw is something that is innate to the hero and can reflect his background. According to Aristotle, the tragic flaw is the most important part of the hero, and the events which lead up to the hero's downfall are a reflection of that flaw. With Shakespeare's Othello, and Sophocles Oedipus, the common flaw that both men share is their pride. Pride is linked with other powerful emotions, such as jealousy and selfishness, which only lead to a world of pain and loss when combined. Pride becomes the fertile ground in both Oedipus and Othello for the seeds of their destruction and ruin.

Even though these plays were written by men who were born 2000 years apart, the works are similar in that they describe the tragic downfalls of two distinguished men. Both were men of extraordinary accomplishments and each possessed the ability to be good leaders.

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The pride of each of these characters is to be a means to their downfall, but in different ways. Othello thought it necessary to kill his wife for not being loyal, and Oedipus for not letting the murderer of Laius go undiscovered.

In Shakespeare's Othello, Othello's pride prevents him from finding the truth, eventually leading to his demise. Initially, Othello and Desdemona are deeply in love, even though her father disapproves of their marriage. However, when Othello promotes Cassio instead of Iago to Lieutenant, Iago has his revenge by convincing Othello that Desdemona cheats on him with Cassio. Two things happen as a result of Othello's flaw: one is the fact that Othello's pride is….....

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