Othello: genre

Othello: genre

Genre Overview of Othello

Tragedy

• Othello belongs to the genre of tragedy, which is characterised by the downfall of the protagonist due to fate, destiny, or a personal flaw.

• The protagonist, Othello himself, is a tragic hero who suffers a serious misfortune that leads to the disastrous conclusion of the play.

Domestic Tragedy

• Unlike many other Shakespearean tragedies, Othello is also a domestic tragedy because it deals with private, domestic affairs instead of royal families or national issues.

• The primary focus of the play is on the relationships between characters and their private problems such as jealousy, betrayal, and deceit.

Dramatic Tragedy

• Othello is also categorised as a dramatic tragedy as it involves dramatic elements like suspense and dramatic irony to keep the audience engaged.

• The constant conflict and dramatic tensions in the play create a tragic atmosphere that heightens the dramatic tragic effect.

Characteristics of Elizabethan Tragedy

• Being written by William Shakespeare in the Elizabethan era, Othello follows the conventions of an Elizabethan tragedy.

• This includes elements such as a tragic hero with a tragic flaw, gruesome and violent scenes, soliloquies that expose the inner thoughts of characters, and significant use of poetic and metaphoric language.

Role of Fate and Free Will

• In Othello, instead of the staple element of fate playing an outright role, the tragedy is primarily brought about by characters exercising their free will.

• However, there’s a fair share of bad luck too, effectively blending the concepts of fate and free will.

• Othello’s undesirable end is mostly a result of his own decisions, highlighting Shakespeare’s moral message on the responsibilities and consequences of ones’ actions.