Human Weakness in Macbeth and Othello - 2915 Words

Macbeth is one of the best known plays written by Shakespeare in the 17th century, Jacobean period. It was the period where the belief in supernatural was greatly held and king James I himself, the author of Divine rights of king adhered in witchcraft and openly practiced the idea of kings being God’s representatives on earth, so to even complain about them was a sin. The tragic hero, brave and valiant Macbeth had all the required characteristics of the ideal Scottish soldier; valorous and gallant but he is bound to have a tragic flaw which he is powerless over and the cause of his inevitable death, his ‘vaulting ambition’ and greed. We then have our other tragedy Othello, which is unique in the literature of time because he was the first†¦show more content†¦In Macbeth, Duncan and the soldiers call him ‘valiant’ and ‘brave’ , Othello is also referred to as ‘valiant’ and ‘brave’ by the duke and Montana. Moreover, as we see Macbeth leading the big battle, Othello is reserved by the leaders of Venice who depend on him to fight the biggest battle. He is ‘employed’ to do so which means he is chosen and his skills and qualities are valued therefore the verb ‘employed’ is used to convey his importance in the society to the audience. Initially, Shakespeare presents the protagonists as impeccable heroes and suggests to the audience nothing can go wrong in the play. In comparison, Shakespeare uses a significant quote which foreshadows Othello’s tragic fall later in the play. When Barbantio warns Othello ‘she has deceived her father and may thee’ it shows the audience how hurt he is by her deception and warns Othello that if Desdemona can betray her father, whom she has known all her life she can easily betray Othello, This strong point foreshadows Othello’s murderous suspicion. Shakespeare also used the character of Iago to not only show how trusting Othello is but also how poor of a judgement he makes. The repetition of ‘honest Iago’ by Othello warns the audience how Othello’s poor judgements will lead him to his downfall as they first see Iago slandering against Othello, so they are warned he is duplicitous beforehand. Another way Shakespeare presents Othello’s tragic fallShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Shakespeare s King Lear, Hamlet, Othello And Macbeth1206 Words   |  5 Pagesplay and they usually revolve around a similar idea of conflict. This is the Internal and external Conflict within the character. The four plays I have chosen to analyse are; King Lear, Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth. I chose these plays specifically because they all have universal themes which depict human emotions. They contain very important messages about internal and external conflict within characters and how this conflict can lead to terrible things, such as their death. One reason as to whyRead MoreThe Relevance of the Literature of Renaissance In the Twenty-First Century958 Words   |  4 Pagescharacteristic for our times, too. Also the writers started to explore human nature in an insightful way. As a result, the Renaissance literature demonstrates characters full of conflicts and passions, universal for all epochs, also the twenty-first century. In Macbeth Shakespeare presents the tragedy of a great man, overcome by a consuming ambition and tendency to self-doubt. At the beginning, Macbeth is a triumphant and highly esteemed warrior, loaded with honours Read MoreOthello Character Analysis1555 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Smith, a barbarian’s inherent weakness lies in his linguistic capabilities, the very same capabilities Othello uses to win over Desdemona, and to defend himself during his trial in front of the duke. 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This can be witnessed by the audience at a veryRead MoreEssay on Comparison: Macbeth and Othello1908 Words   |  8 PagesShakespeare presents the tragedies, Macbeth and Othello as plays filled with plots driven by manipulation. Shakespeare uses the power of language in the characters Iago and Lady Macbeth by using influential rhetoric to sway those around them and also lead to the deadly downfall of Othello and Macbeth. In both of their cases, Shakespeare reveals the power of power because when things do not go according to plan, their own downfall is inevitable as well. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s actions show that womenRead MoreOthello: A Covert Discussion on Racism Essay1625 Words   |  7 Pagesset, and was trying in this creative way that the mind set of the people was not correct even for that time. How and why did Shakespeare purposely portray Othello the Moor as a tragic hero, like Hamlet or King Lear, or did this character redevelop over time, as society’s view on racism changed. This issue of race is not signaler to Othello alone but through out the play with all the other characters, such as the main antagonist Iago, and the prejudice Barbantio. I will also attempt to exploreRead MoreEssay about There Are as Many Readings of Othello as There Are Readers.1972 Words   |  8 Pagesaspects that might contradict these particular readings. In Othello, there are likewise also many different readings, for example, Feminist, Postcolonial and Aristotelian. It is possible to suggest two readings which perhaps may link to audiences psychologically and ideologically more s uccessfully - the Aristotelian and Feminist reading, and this is evident through the plot, characterization language, and themes underpinning the text Othello. Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher first capturedRead MoreOthello As A Shakespearean Play1697 Words   |  7 PagesOthello is a Shakespearean play that takes place in Venice, Italy. It centers on the tragedy of a Moor, recently named General of the Venetian army. Othello deals with many issues, first beginning with race. Othello goes through several other things ranging from jealousy to betrayal. Most importantly, he has to deal with love and loss thereof. There are several characters in the play Tragedy of Othello. First, there’s the main character Othello. He is generally identified by his ethnicity, beingRead MoreMacbeth as a Tragic Hero in Willian Shakespeares Macbeth2662 Words   |  11 PagesMacbeth as a Tragic Hero in Willian Shakespeares Macbeth Two and a half thousand years ago, Aristotle defined a tragedy as an imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude. Two thousand years later, Shakespeare reincarnated this and other classical principles in the form of his four great tragedies; Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. Aristotle laid down some elements which he and other classical theorists seemed to think necessaryRead More The Character of Iago in Shakespeares Othello Essay1865 Words   |  8 PagesIago in Othello      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No one has ever failed to appreciate the skilled art with which Shakespeare has defined the characters of his plays; great and small alike, their distinctiveness, their dignity, their misery, and their integrity are captured and displayed.   In particular the depiction of certain characters in Othello have been universally acclaimed.   Identified by many scholars as one of Shakespeare great tragedies, along with Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear, Othello follows a