Heroism in Othello Essay example - 1634 Words

Heroism in Othello Who are the true heroes in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello? What is their perspective on making deep sacrifice for what they believe in? Let’s find the heroes and analyze their perspective on suffering voluntarily. Helen Gardner in â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune† considers Iago’s wife Emilia to be a true hero of the play because of her fearless outlook on death itself: Emilia’s silence while her mistress lived is fully explicable in terms of her character. She shares with her husband the generalizing trick and is well used to domestic scenes. The jealous, she knows, are not ever jealous for the cause But jealous for they are jealous. If it†¦show more content†¦(1.2) The proceedings which take place before the Duke of Venice show heroism on the part of Desdemona, who stands up to her father before the body of senators with whom he has worked for years, but in a respectful manner: â€Å"My noble father, / I do perceive here a divided duty.† She elects to remain with the Moor. The general himself, in narrating how he wins the hand of Desdemona, gives testimony to his own valor during many battles. He concludes: â€Å"She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / And I loved her that she did pity them.† Brabantio’s rage, among other reasons, necessitate that Desdemona live with Iago and Emilia during the Moor’s campaign in Cyprus against the Turks. On the island, while awaiting the arrival of Othello’s ship, Desdemona shows herself an intelligent debater. She grows tired of Iago’s derogatory comments directed at his wife, and she quite matter-of-factly (and heroically) states her mind: â€Å"O, fie upon thee, slanderer!† She continues to critique the ancient’s answers to her questions: â€Å"These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh i the alehouse† and â€Å"O heavy ignorance! thou praisest the worst best.† She is not fearful or reticent in the least, but rather confronts a man as her equal and not herShow MoreRelated Othello and Heroism Essay2039 Words   |  9 PagesOthello and Heroism  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello the audience finds heroism exhibited not only by the hero, the Moor, but also by other characters in the drama.    A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   C. Bradley, in his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, defines a woman character, Desdemona, as a hero in the play from the very outset:    There is perhaps a certain excuse for our failure to rise to Shakespeare’s meaning, and to realize how extraordinary and splendid a thingRead MoreThe Weaknesses Of Othello By William Shakespeare933 Words   |  4 PagesThe Weaknesses of Othello Throughout the beginning of Shakespeare s play, Othello, the protagonist, Othello himself, is portrayed as a powerful and courageous man. The audience is led to believe that he is a sympathetic character and a brave war hero. As the story progresses, this view seems to shift. Iago begins to play with Othello’s emotions and Othello starts to make rash decisions. 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