20/12/2023, 15:59 Othello Genre:ShakespeareanTragedy | Literature Guides at IvyPanda®
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Othello Genre:ShakespeareanTragedy
by IvyPanda Updated on: Aug 14th, 2023 3 min 1,315
The genre of Othello can be a topic of debate – this is the case with most of Shakespeare’s plays. Classical tragedies depict the
fall of the hero, who struggles with the circumstances of fate and then has a noble defeat. Such stories evoke pity in the
audience since the times of ancient Athens. Shakespearean tragedies are slightly different from the classic form. So, below,
we’ve explored the Othello genre.
Table of contents
01 🧩 Elements of Tragedy 04 👨🎨 Writing Style
02 🗡️ The Tragedy of Othello 05 🗺️ Navigation
03 📜 Aristotelian Tragedy 06 🎓 References
🧩 Elements of Shakespearean Tragedy
Shakespeare’s tragedy has one main distinction – the main character has an issue that leads to his downfall. The “tragic flaw”
also often leads to the death of other significant characters. Generally, all of Shakespeare’s works include one more of the
following elements of tragedy:
the contrast between good and evil;
a tragic hero;
internal and external struggles;
greed and/or revenge;
mysticism/supernatural elements;
a tragic waste.
Shakespeare followed a five-part structure for his plays:
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Act GENRE
Its Purpose
Act 1 Outlines the situation and presents the characters.
Act 2 Develops the situation and continues the action.
Act 3 Presents the climax of the story and a specific change.
Act 4 Continues developing the action.
Act 5 Delivers the resolution of the conflicts.
🗡️ The Tragedy of Othello
Iago plots to revenge by telling lies and leading Othello to his downfall. Due to the rumors, the general kills his wife, Desdemona.
He later understands what he did and kills himself. Iago is arrested.
So, is Othello a tragedy? Yes, definitely.
One of the main characteristics of the Shakespearean tragedy is the main hero’s weakness that results in his downfall. Many
might say that Othello’s tragic flaw is jealousy. However, more recent interpretations suggest that his flaw was accepting the
prejudices people had against him. He believed that he was unworthy of Desdemona’s love, and that’s what led to his
destruction.
Another Shakespearean tragedy characteristic present in Othello is the social status of the main character. At the beginning of
the play, he is a respected nobleman. That’s why, in the end, his downfall is perceived as more tragic.
Lastly, Othello is a victim of external pressure. The evil and manipulative plots of Iago lead to his self-destruction, not solely his
actions and jealousy.
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📜 Othello and Aristotelian Tragedy
Initially, Aristotle outlined three elements that constitute a tragedy: hamartia, catharsis, and anagnorisis.
Hamartia is the tragic flaw of the main character that we’ve already discussed above.
Catharsis is the metaphor used to describe the actual effects of tragedy on the audience. Its prime purpose is to serve as a
moral lesson and show the flaw’s adverse effects. At the end of the play, Othello realizes that he let Iago lead him astray,
and because of his blind trust, he killed his wife.
Anagnorisis is the revelation of specific facts before unknown to the character. In the play, Othello realizes that Iago is evil
and his wife was innocent all of the time.
Based on the set criteria, Othello is a tragedy. Yet, it has some characteristics that distinguish it from the classics.
Othello’s plot progression is quite unusual. The central conflict begins late and develops with progressive speed. The other
peculiarity is that the audience sees the whole play through the villain’s eyes rather than the main character. Besides, the hero
becomes an antagonist himself. He’s well-respected and loved initially, but as he gives into the raging jealousy, he becomes evil.
👨🎨 Writing Style of Othello
The duality of speech mainly characterizes the play. From the very beginning, the antagonist, Iago, uses it to disguise his
intentions. He speaks differently in the presence of other people. When he talks to Brabantio about Othello, he uses foul
language. However, when he speaks to the audience, he is polite and poetic.
Iago’s manipulative speech makes others do what he needs them to do. Othello is under his control, which can be seen through
his language as well. When the general becomes mad with jealousy, he uses repetitions. That suggests that Othello loses his
control, as he is so overwhelmed. However, once he calms down and realizes what he did, he sounds poetic again.
Shakespeare often uses prose as the expression of madness. The shift from verse to prose shows the emotional change in
characters as Othello’s jealous rage and Cassio’s drunken behavior are done in prose. It shows that they are not composed.
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That’s it! Thanks for reading our analysis of Othello’s genre and style. To find out more information about Shakespeare’s play,
check the articles below.
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🎓 References
20/12/2023, 15:59 Othello Genre:ShakespeareanTragedy | Literature Guides at IvyPanda®
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1. Play Construction and the Suffering and Murder of Desdemona — Lecture from Shakespearean Tragedy by A. C. Bradley,
Shakespeare-online.com
2. Shakespeare Tragedies: 10 Plays With Common Features — Lee Jamieson, ThoughtCo
3. The Language in Othello — Shakespeare Learning Zone
4. Language and structure Language in Othello Othello: Advanced — York Notes
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