Venice Case

According to Aristotle, a tragedy depicts the downfall of a hero or heroine, usually through hubris, fate and the will of the gods, or a combination of any of the three. Generally, it is an elaborately painted picture of a noble person who falls from power due to the exploitation of their fatal flaw, whether it be pride, courage, or jealousy. Shakespeare’s play Othello: The Moor of Venice is about Othello, a moor and war hero, living Venice who has earned the title of general, who ends up being exploited and cut down because a fatal flaw. In following Aristotle’s observations for tragedy, it makes sense that Shakespeare would name his play after Othello. However it would appear to make more sense to title it after Iago, the villain who exploits Othello and causes him to fall. It is Iago who we follow for the majority of the play and it is him who we get to know better than the other characters.

In the light of Aristotle’s guidelines, it could make sense to title the play after the sociopathically sadistic villain. Iago is a very strange character who feels as if he has been wronged and cheated throughout the majority of his military career. He and Othello had been equals in the military and had a established a brotherly bond, until Othello got promoted to general, leaving Iago to serve as ensign to him. His hatred does not solidify, however, until he is passed over for the position of lieutenant for the rookie soldier Michael Cassio. In a sense, you could say these were the moments that Iago began his fall because of his fatal flaw; self entitlement. In his years of war service, he felt as if he had earned the right to be promoted, yet he had been denied the promotion that he felt he had deserved. Even though we do not witness this part of the play, as it happened before it started, this is the beginning of Iago’s slow and gradual decline. The entire course of the play could be interpreted as his decline, because as Iago’s plan continues to develop and ruin Othello’s life, it also leads to his ultimate demise at the end of the play when he is sentenced to torture and execution.

In a sense, Iago could be considered a hero who falls because of a fatal flaw, but his heroism is not shown, in the play. It is could be assumed, because he is a military man, that he is a heroic and noble character, yet it is not obvious or explicitly stated in the play. Infact, the any fraction of a thought about Iago being a hero is masked and cancelled by his malicious plans for those who he feels have wronged him. Othello, however, is the obvious hero who has enthusiasm, command and other admirable