Othello, one of Shakespeare's many tragic heroes was brought down by the manipulation and cunning of his advisor, Iago. Iago's skill at manipulating people could never be denied. However, while Othello was a good man, part of the blame of his fall can be placed on his own actions. Iago only planted the seeds of jealousy and anger, Othello did the rest. If Othello had reacted differently or took the time to investigate his claims, perhaps the horrid ending of the story could have been avoided.
Othello fit the definition of a tragic hero perfectly. For one, he was in a position that is "better than us" in one way or another. Othello was a General, a military commander. He lived in a mansion and had a people under him such as Cassio, his lieutenant, and Iago, his Ancient. This is important for a tragic hero, because they must have a high place to fall from. Second, Othello made many mistakes that lead to his downfall. He trusted the word of Iago too much. So much so that he turned a blind eye to all others around him. He did not communicate as much as he should have with his wife, Desdemona. In the end, he allowed the jealousy that Iago instilled in him to drive him to murder. Because of these things, Othello fell from his honorable position of General to a broken man who has killed his wife and as a result, himself. .
Othello's largest mistake was his lack of communication with his wife, Desdemona. Many times he beats around the bush regarding his suspicions of disloyalty between her and Cassio, but he never out right asks her about it, or discusses it with Cassio. Perhaps if they had communicated more, Iago's plan could have been exposed. Due to lack of communication, no one was able to recognize Iago as a possible cause to all of the conflicts arising. Even at the peak of Othello's rage, when he finally was convinced that Desdemona had betrayed him, he still could not speak to her about it.
