Iago is cowardly because he goes behind Othello's back and tricks him. Iago also holds much resentment toward Othello, being turned down for a military position by him. Iago also turns one of Othello's most trusted friends, Cassio, against him and in the end brings about Othello's demise (Douthat n. pag.).
Not only are Othello's adversaries despicable, but they are also bigoted. Since Othello is black, he is the subject of much racism. The terms directed toward him include "Moor" (I.i.57), "thick-lips" (I.i.66), "an old black ram" (I.i.88), and "a Barbary horse" (I.i.113). These all occur in Act I, setting a mood and tone for the remainder of the play. This shows that Othello not only has despicable adversaries, but also adversarial situations to overcome (Douthat n. pag.).
At the other end of the spectrum are character's who respect Othello. This is required of the tragic hero in that if he is not respected, he does not fit into the definition of a "hero." Since the classification of tragic hero is even more specific, he would not fit into the mold. Just like his enemies are despicable, his allies are reliable, loyal and generally agreeable individuals.
First and foremost of Othello's allies is the Duke. The Duke is obviously an important figure, due to his rank and importance in the community in which this play takes place. His respect is worth much more than that of another individual. The Duke in many ways represents the people, and thus respect from the Duke equates to respect from the people (Douthat n. pag.).
The next most important character who helps round out Othello's character as a respected man is Cassio. Cassio is a respected officer of the military. Othello gave him an important promotion, turning down Iago. By doing so, he infuriates Iago while gaining the respect of Cassio. Cassio's trust helps show that Othello is not only respected by his superiors, but also his inferiors (Douthat n.
