Othello .
Othello is a romantic character. He has not been born and bred in .
familiar England; instead he comes from the remote and .
mysterious Morocco. He has lived a life of adventure and .
romance, traveling to distant and strange lands. He has also .
experienced the ups and downs of life. In spite of his noble .
background, he was once sold as a slave, and it was with great .
difficulty that he secured his release. Shakespeare has .
intentionally created an aura of romance and mystery around the .
dark Moor, and he puts poetic language and thoughts in his .
mouth to strengthen the image. .
Othello is Shakespeare's most unusual tragic hero. He is a .
combination of opposites. He is a black' man with a noble .
nature. In the beginning of the play, he is proud, intelligent, .
calm, patient, and self-confident. Once he falls a victim to his .
passions, he behaves in a most savage, brutal, and inhuman .
manner with his noble qualities vanishing completely. .
Othello is a natural, bold, and fearless soldier and an able .
General. His knowledge comes from the battlefield, where he has .
spent most of his days. As a result, he is accustomed to the .
hardship of military life and the need to act quickly and .
decisively. As the leader of the Venetian troops, he is .
indispensable to the defense of the city. For this reason, he is sent .
to fight the Turks and protect Cyprus. The Duke of Venice and .
the Governor of Cyprus both acknowledge his military abilities .
and leadership. Even the evil Iago praises Othello's military .
genius. .
Since Othello has passed all his life in the fields of war, he has .
the innocence and simplicity of a child when it comes to social .
graces and worldly knowledge. In matters of life, he is simple, .
frank, and honest. He has no experience with the wickedness that .
exists in human nature. He thinks that men who appear honest, .
are really so. He is, thus, easily deceived by Iago and becomes a .
victim of this man's villainous intrigue.
