Degrees of Guilt in Othello

Although the degrees of their guilt greatly vary, every major character in Shakespeare's "Othello" contributes to the deadly chain of events that transpire. There are seven major characters in the play: Othello, Iago, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo, and Bianca. Though some may seem to have greater roles than others in the tragedy, each one can be considered a major character because their specific actions are factors in the catastrophic ending. It is obvious that only a few of them have devious intentions, but that does not alleviate the responsibility of the others. Whether the individual's intentions are good or bad is not the concern. The issue at hand is whether or not their actions contribute to the tragic finish. Othello is often perceived as the tragic hero in the play. The introduction of his character creates an ideal image of the Moor. He is introduced as a well-admired general. His good character is verified by the respect he seems to enjoy from the people around him. Their respect and admiration for him is transferred over to the audience:
Othello is like a hero of the ancient world in that he is not a man like us, but a man recognized as extraordinary. He seems born to do great deeds and live in legend. He has the obvious heroic qualities of courage and strength, and no actor can attempt the role who is not physically impressive. (Gardner 140)
He seems to be the model Venetian and a well-rounded man. However, some of the audience may see through his depiction and view Othello for who he really is. Othello holds an arguable degree of guilt in the tragedy. He does not have bad intentions, but he is somewhat accountable for the tragedy. Many of his negative attributes are exposed, although they are overshadowed by his admirable introduction. First of all, he is a foolish man. Othello trusts the word of a person who he did not even trust enough to make his lieutenant. Furthermore, he should gather more evidence of Desdemona's

Cited: Fallon, Robert T. A Theatergoer 's Guide to Shakespeare 's Characters. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2004 Sourcebook on William Shakespeare 's Othello. Andrew Hadfield, ed. New York: Routledge, 2003 Shakespeare, William. Othello. E.A.J. Honigmann, ed. 3rd ed. London: The Arden Shakespeare, 2002. Snyder, Susan William Shakespeare 's Othello. Harold Bloom, ed. New York: Chelsea, 1999. 57-59.