Othello is full of important literary elements for students to explore. One of these elements is the tragic hero, a protagonist who seems to be ill-fated, and destined for doom. In this play, Othello is the tragic hero who leads himself and many others to their deaths.
The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, was the articulated the specific attributes or principles of a tragic hero. For the storyboard above, students can use a template to storyboard the qualities that make Othello, a tragic hero. The finished product outlines each of Aristotle's principles with a detailed explanation of the specific attributes.
| ATTRIBUTE | DESCRIPTION | Example from Othello |
|---|---|---|
| Hamartia | Hero's Flaw that Causes Downfall | Othello’s jealousy becomes his downfall when he listens to Iago. He "lov'd not wisely but too well". |
| Hubris | Excessive Pride | Othello's hubris allows Iago to manipulate him. Through the seed of suspicion, Iago can convince Othello, without any proof, that Desdemona is cheating on him. |
| Peripeteia | Reversal of Fortune | Othello kills Desdemona after he believes that Cassio has slept with her. |
| Anagnorisis | Moment of Critical Discovery | Emilia exposes Iago’s plan. |
| Nemesis | Fate that Cannot be Avoided | Desdemona has been smothered, Othello kills himself from grief. Iago is sent away to be tortured. |
| Catharsis | Audience's Feeling of Pity or Fear After the Hero's Fall | The audience is left remorseful for the couple who was thwarted by jealousy and revenge. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows how Othello can be considered a tragic hero.
Ask the students to make a list of all the tragic heroes they have studied so far. From this list, students can pick a tragic hero they would like to compare with Othello. Teachers can also divide the class into different groups to make this a collaborative activity. Each group can then pick a different character for comparison.
Talk about Othello's personality features, such as his respectability as a general, his love for Desdemona, and his propensity for jealousy. Aid students in comprehending how these characteristics influence his choices and behaviors. Similarly, students can recall the traits of their other tragic hero and use this as the basis for comparison.
Encourage your students to contrast Othello's shortcomings with those of the other tragic heroes. Discuss how these shortcomings affect their choices and behaviors. Students might find some similarities and differences in the tragic flaws of Othello and other heroes so they can use a Venn diagram to visualize these similarities and differences.
Talk about the societal and cultural settings that shape the tragic heroes' choices and deeds. Compare the cultural backgrounds of the other characters with Othello's experiences as a black man.
Facilitate a class discussion on the takeaways from contrasting these tragic heroes to close the lesson. As an alternative, provide students assignments that allow them to explore the contrast in greater depth, such as essay prompts, group projects, or creative tasks.
The traditional concept of a tragic hero applies to Othello. Although he is a kind and moral person, he has a deadly weakness, in this case, envy. A mix of his own deeds and outside machinations led to his demise.
The terrible weakness of Othello is his profound insecurity and jealousy. Iago's deceptive suggestions concerning his wife Desdemona's loyalty are readily used to mislead him, which finally causes him to distrust her and make foolish judgments.
Yes, Othello's sad end is influenced by his racial identification as a Moor in a largely white society. Being an outsider makes him vulnerable to Iago's manipulation, as do his concerns over his ethnicity and social standing.
Othello's demise starts with his growing mistrust of Desdemona's adultery, which is encouraged by Iago's deceptive falsehoods. His feelings of resentment become stronger, impairing his capacity to reason. This eventually leads him to kill Desdemona and commit suicide.