Truth Essay -- English Literature Essays

Truth The question of right and wrong has been battled over for centuries. Many conservatives still believe that truth is absolute, while others disagree, saying that truth is relative. I believe that truth is an individual’s perception of beliefs and decisions. For that reason, truth differentiates among individuals thorough their contrasting opinions. But, truth is something that everyone believes to be correct. Thus, it greatly depends on what’s true in the minds of the people. On the contrary, truth that’s spoken with bad intent is considered to be worse than a lie. Hence, truth is an expression, symbol or statement that corresponds to reality and happiness. Truth is dominated by one’s subjective thoughts and beliefs. It is a concept that’s created by man, and therefore can never have any absolutes. And if a concept such as the truth has no absolutes, it becomes subjective based upon your perceptions of it. However, an individual’s experiences, thoughts and beliefs shape their perception of truth. Truth is timeless, abstract and unchanging ideals based on the individual. All truth is subjected to an individual’s opinion. It is based on person’s perspective on society and developed by their past experiences. Similarly, subjective truth deals with what is in the persons' mind. Also could mean the opinion of a person of certain objects. A subjective truth is an idea which may be important to me but not to you. For example, I decide that killing, under any circums...

Othello as a Tragic Hero

Shakespeare uses techniques, characters, language, structure and form to present Othello as tragic hero. He exposes his tragic flaw, which consequently leads to his downfall. Othello conforms to the Aristotelian principles of tragedy, of the noble protagonist who undergoes ceaseless manipulation and endures suffering, resulting in his ultimate downfall due to hamartia. All of these techniques combine to provide a different perception of the protagonist, as more of an atypical victim, exposed to the harsh reality of the society he longs to fit into, rather than a typical hero. A tragic hero is a person who initially is well-respected and holds a high esteem within society. They are of high moral worth and are highly ambitious in what they set out to achieve. A single mistake or character flaw can, however, bring them to ruin, with a loss of everything that they possess. In the discussion of whether Othello fits the role of a tragic hero, the following concepts need to be considered. Firstly, as befitting a tragic hero, Othello holds an important role. He is well-respected and admired by all. Secondly, through a character flaw and the added complication of external forces working against him, he suffers a dramatic fall from grace. He loses all that he held dear- his wife, his status, his position, and the respect held by others of him. The tragic hero comes up against a force or events which serve to bring this fatal flaw to the surface. In Hamlet, it is his indecision which comes to the surface as a result of his mother's ‘o'er hasty' remarriage. It is interpreted that Othello’s fatal flaw is in fact jealously. But jealousy is not an emotion or state of being that can exist on its own. It requires other things to feed it and n Othello’s case this is insecurity. Othello is in fact set in an extremely racist period and this does cause him to feel insecure and vulnerable, which renders him more open to Iago's manipulation. Iago does not pray on Othello’s jealousy, he prays on his insecurity and uses Othello's race and colour to place Othello in a bad light. In Othello, it is the force of Iago's ruthless manipulation and accusations against Desdemona and Cassio which bring Othello's gullibility to the surface. Hamartia is a very important aspect of the play and Shakespeare uses it to better the audiences understanding of the events that are unfolding. Othello is oblivious to the fact that Iago is taking advantage of his fatal flaw of jealousy. â€Å"Oh beware jealousy: it is the green-eyed which doth mock that which meet it, feed on. The cuckold lies in bliss†. This quote from Iago proves that he knows Othello more than Othello knows himself, and so, takes advantage of his personal flaw, using it to his own, deadly advantage. Despite Othello’s actions, there is a lesson to be learnt and the audience are compelled to maintain some feeling of sympathy towards him. The sympathy of the audience towards Othello’s character is largely due to his lack of understanding of the unforseen evils in the world around him. These evils are personified by Iago. Othello's nobility, morals, values and ideals, all play a part in the unravelling of his personality. Iago who’s equivocal but evil deception and manipulation of Othello's emotions presents the audience with a strong-willed but fragile character. Othello appears ill-equipped to understand a character such as Iago, and this gains the audiences sympathy. If we are to accept that a tragic hero is one that possesses the image of valour, nobility and honour, but in weakness cannot contain the manipulation of those mannerisms, then in the end we must come to the conclusion that he is indeed a tragic hero. Othello as a Tragic Hero Othello is character created by Shakespeare that â€Å"fulfils the conditions and requirements of a tragic hero (Bhattacharyya 123). † This is for the reason that Othello’s character exhibits what Aristotle refers to as the tragic flaw that ultimately caused his downfall. Just like any other classic tragic hero, he has innate flaws despite being a seemingly virtuous character in the eyes of his fellows. Somehow, despite the perfection that the character displays, he possesses a weakness that is so inevitable that eventually consumes him and causes evil to others and the character himself.In Shakespeare’s plays, â€Å"the strengths that raise the characters to the noblest heights become the points of vulnerability that lower them to the most profound depths (Cahn 325). † Background of Othello Othello is a tragedy that is written by Shakespeare right after Hamlet. While there are palpable similarities that are noticed of the two plays such as resemblances in style, diction, and versification, Othello can stand on its own as one of the best tragic plays that Shakespeare has been known for despite the fact that Hamlet remains the most famous.The heroes of the play are so unlike but still exhibit characteristics that would qualify them into Aristotle’s definition of the tragic hero. The general character of a man that is â€Å"exceptionally noble and trustful† but has to â€Å"endure the shock of disillusionment† is employed by Shakespeare first in Hamlet and then to Othello. This is what makes these dramas along with King Lear and Timon regrouped together as having distinctions to the rest of the tragedies of Shakespeare.However, despite these similarities, Othello is the first tragic hero created by Shakespeare that is not only an exceptional man but also a huge man living a small world that made him tower over his fellows. More than this, the peculiarity of Othello is that it leaves the most painful and the most te rrible impression of all the plays of Shakespeare (Bradley 175-176. ) It is a story of death and of betrayal that originally sprung from jealousy and false beliefs. Othello is a Moor that has secretly married Desdemona, the daughter of Senator Brabantio.He is described as a benevolent and noble military man while her wife is one the most pure and innocent characters in Shakespeare’s plays. Moreover, Othello is also known to be having a strong belief in religion and a man of good judgment. However, despite these positive attributes imbued upon him by Shakespeare, he also created a character that will surely uncover the tragic flaw that is within Othello. Iago has always displayed tendencies of being a villain but Othello remained to be trustful of him. His naivetà © and innocence triggered Iago to plot evil plans against him.Upon the evil plans of Iago, he was persuaded to kill his own wife for the belief that she was being disloyal to their marriage. These evil plans of Iago commenced when he got jealous of Michael Cassio’s appointment as a Lieutenant instead of himself. Because Othello was the one who appointed him, he started feeling a deep grudge against him. He then plotted on making Othello’s life miserable with regards his marriage and his status as a Moor. He succeeded in making Othello believed that Desdemona is having intimate relationship with Cassio.Iago took advantage of Othello’s trusting nature for him to accomplish his plans. Othello mercilessly killed his wife in the bedchamber despite her pleadings and claims of innocence and purity. He has been blinded by jealousy and false belief that Iago has implanted in his mind. In the end, he has learned that his actions were nothing but surges of anger, jealousy, impulsiveness, and false judgment. In the end, he was convinced of his wife’s innocence through the testimonials of Emilia, Lodovico, and Roderigo. He then admitted his sins and decided to take away his life .Before he killed himself, he beseeched the remaining people to listen to him speak. His last speech reminisces his heroism in the state. He also desires to be remembered as someone who loves not wisely but someone who loves too well (Bhattacharyya 31). Aristotle’s Tragic Hero and Tragic Flaw in Othello Poetics by Aristotle is the best source with regards the structure, purpose, and effect of the Greek tragedy. In the words of Aristotle, a tragic hero is: [O]ne should not show worthy men passing from good fortune from good fortune to bad†¦. Nor again wicked people [mochtherous] passing from bad fortune to good †¦.Nor again the passing of a thoroughly bad man [poneron] from good fortune to bad fortune †¦. There remains then the mean between these [ho metaxy]. This is the sort of man who is not pre-eminently virtuous and just [ho mete arà ªte diapheron kasi dikaiosyne], and yet it is through no badness or villainy of his own that he falls into the misfortune, bu t rather through some flaw in him (qtd in Goodkin 39). According to him, a tragic hero is primarily a character of noble stature and greatness. This means that the character occupies a high position in the society he is living in.Moreover, he should also exhibit nobility and virtue (Defining Tragedy). In the case of Othello, his character is that of a high ranking official in the military. Apart from this, he is also highly respected by the people of the state. He has gone to many wars and came back victorious. He is an epitome of a benevolent soldier that deserved his position as a Moor in the Venetian State. Aside from being blessed with a noble stature in the society, he is also happily married to Desdemona, the daughter of the Senator which has also an equal high standing in the society.Second, though a tragic hero is portrayed as great, he can never be perfect. Just like any other living being, he has his own flaws despite having an elevated position in the society that mere mo rtals can never identify (Defining Tragedy). In the case of Othello, his naivety and his trusting nature are recognized to be his flaws that bring about the tragic flaw in his character that ultimately lead to his downfall. These particular characteristics that Othello possesses were the ones taken advantage by Iago to make his plans prosper. Iago has always been consistently portrayed as a villain.As a matter of fact, there are several instances that would hint Othello of his evil intents and backstabbing such as in the case where he conspired with Roderigo in his pursuit for the love of Desdemona. Even when he displayed character of dishonesty, Othello was too innocent and naà ¯ve to distrust everything that he says, recommends, or suggests. Until it came to a point that he was too blinded to think and decide for himself and was already persuaded by Iago’s evil intentions. Furthermore, because of his inability to discern the truth from fallacy, he murdered his wife without having any appropriate reason to do it.Because of him being overtly consumed by jealousy and false belief that his wife cheated on him, he committed the worse sin he ever had. This murder furthermore leads to his suicide, his final downfall. Third, the tragic hero’s downfall is attributed to his own actions and intentions. It can never be ascribed to accident, fate, or in any other external reasons. Furthermore, the tragedy that will happen to the character will be triggered by his own personal error, whether it is in judgment, in action, or in his inaction. This is now what Aristotle calls the tragic flaw which is the very reason of his fall (Defining Tragedy).According to Cahn, a tragic flaw is a â€Å"fatal weakness or error in judgment that propels a character to a tragic end (325). † In the case of Othello, his fatal weakness causes his error in judgment. We will notice that these would form a series of events that will lead to the character’s downfall. At the onset, his naivety and innocence as discussed in the earlier paragraph made him so gullible. This gullibility and vulnerability then made it easy for Iago to deceive him of believing that Desdemona has adulterous relationship with Cassio. This deception is followed by jealousy that blinded Othello.He then was too consumed with jealousy that he was unable to neither investigate nor evaluate the facts of the events. Once he had decided to revenge his honor and his bruised ego, he then committed a crime that will also cause him his life. The death of Desdemona woke his senses. With the realization that he has committed such a fatal sin, his regret once again consumed him that lead to him taking his life Fourth, the hero’s fall would not be â€Å"wholly deserved. † Somehow, the punishment that the character has is excessive of what should he have as a consequence of his tragic flaw (Defining Tragedy).In the case of Othello, the death of Desdemona is more than a punish ment for his gullibility and naivety. More so, his death is an excessive penalty for his fatal weakness. Fifth, the fall leaves the tragic hero some awareness and self-knowledge (Defining Tragedy). In the case of Othello, the death of Desdemona not only made him regret but also to get back to his senses. He decided to find out the truth by extracting testimonials from Imilia and Lodovico. Most importantly, he recognized the innocence of Desdemona.He died knowing that up to her death she remained faithful to him. Lastly, while the tragedy would arouse pity, fear, and other unhealthy emotions, it does not leave its audience depressed. Especially in a Shakespearean tragedy, the audience wouldn’t feel that the hero is a â€Å"poor mean creature. † Even when the character leads a tragic and wretched end such as death, he still remains to be hero to the eyes of the audience. This is for the reason that the phase that he underwent is a fact that is pardonable for a hero to co mmit. His greatness remains even with his downfall.

The Witch Hunt in The Crucible and During the Time of...

In this essay, I intend to analyse the historical context of The Crucible and its relevance in today’s society. I believe that Arthur Miller’s life and his experience of McCarthyism strongly influenced the writing of The Crucible. McCarthyism, named after Joseph McCarthy was a period of intense anti-communism, which occurred in the United States from 1948 to about 1956. During this time the government of the United States persecuted the Communist party USA, its leadership, and many others suspected of being communists. The word McCarthyism now carries the suggestion of false, hysterical accusation and large scale attacks on a minority. This anticommunist crusade stumbled in 1954, when the hearings were televised allowing the press and†¦show more content†¦Both The Crucible and McCarthyism involved people being wrongly accused of actions that they did not commit. Also, if someone in The Crucible confesses to being a witch in order to save their life, then their reputation is ruined and no one will ever view them the same way. In both McCarthyism and the Salem witch trials, if the person was not convicted, their image would be ruined and they would have a hard time building their image back to the way i t was. Some cooperated but others, like Miller, refused to give in to questioning. Those who were revealed, falsely or legitimately, as Communists, and those who refused to incriminate their friends, saw their careers suffer, as they were blacklisted from potential jobs for many years afterward. The society in Salem was a theocracy, a government based on religious beliefs. Therefore any sin would be seen as an offence against the public as well as against God. Sins, especially in Salem would most likely have been hidden away from public view, and this would also explain the way Miller wrote The Crucible. Everyone seemed to know, or want to know everyone else’s business. In both McCarthyism and the Salem witch trials, there was a huge amount of pressure to reveal the secret sins of friends and neighbours. People, therefore began to take advantage of this, and began using the opportunity to take out personal grudges, for exampleShow MoreRelatedThe Witch Hunt in The Crucible and During the Time of McCarthyism2059 Words   |  9 PagesThe Themes of The Crucible and Parallels to McCarthyism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Arthur Millers The Crucible describes the witch hunt that saw harmless people hanged for crimes they did not commit. The Crucible provides an accurate historical account of the witch hunt, but its real achievement lies in the many important issues it deals with. Millers concerns with conscience, guilt and justice develop into significant and thought-provoking themes throughoutRead MoreSimilarities Between Mccarthyism And The Crucible997 Words   |  4 PagesWitch hunts have been mentioned in the times of McCarthyism and in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Being put on the list for being a witch like in The Crucible, or being blacklisted in McCarthyism times was not a good thing. McCarthyism and The Crucible are similar in the concept of witch hunts, but the consequences are rather different. During the times of witch hunts in McCarthyism and in The Crucible, people would just assume someone is a witch or communist. The person being accused would be putRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesMiller’s The Crucible. During a time when the U.S. was worried of communism taking over, Miller released The Crucible, which helped to capture the hysteria that was occurring. The play presents itself as a metaphor for the House of Un-American Activities Committee that was created during the Cold War when communism was spreading, but Miller never actually referenced it in the play. Although Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is set in the late 1600s, it offers a fine example of allegory of McCarthyism in theRead MoreSimilarities Between The Crucible And Salem Witch Trials725 Words   |  3 Pagesloves a witch hunt as long as its someone elses witch being hunted.† this is a quote by Walter Kirn. The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials are very similar to the time of McCarthyism and it the most likely reason the why the book was written. â€Å"It was not only the rise of McCarthyism that moved me, but something which seemed much more weird and mysterious.† (Budick 1985) a quote by the author himself proving it was a factor that made him write the book. They were both witch hunts one literallyRead MoreSimilarities Between The Crucible And Salem Witch Trials1079 Words   |  5 Pages The Crucible is a play that explains the story the Salem Witch trials. Arthur Miller, is the author of this play. McCarthyism played a big role in the creation of The Crucible. Many differences and similarities were drawn between the play and the Red Scare. The horrors of history are passed on from generation to generation in hopes that they will never happen again. People look back on these times and are surprised at how terrible the times were. Yet, in the 1950s, history repeated itself. DuringRead More McCarthyism and The Crucible contain many similarities and differences772 Words   |  4 PagesMcCarthyism and The Crucible contain many similarities and differences in their persecution and accusation of people who are identified as criminals of their societies. McCarthyism and The Crucible contain many similarities and differences in their persecution and accusation of people who are identified as criminals of their societies. Both events in history contain extremely similar circumstances, including the accusation of one person leading to a mass hysteria enveloping a society toRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials And Mccarthyism1275 Words   |  6 Pagesthat doesn’t keep us from moving forward, but when negative actions are repeated it actually set us back from moving onward with our future. Although, many teenagers feel that history no longer matters because it is in the past, the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism are prime examples of how history constantly repeats itself and influence how we live today for the reason that both historic eras consist of the following: they have similar histories, connect in significant ways, and include comparableRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials And Mccarthyism1327 Words   |  6 PagesSalem Witch Trials and McCarthyism are prime examples of how history constantly repeats itself and influence how we live today for the reason that both historic eras consist of the following: they have similar history, connect in significant ways, and include comparable situations and themes tha t are evident today effecting us on a daily bases whether or not we realize. Salem, Massachusetts was the home of a theocracy government system meaning God was the leader of their society (â€Å"The Crucible† 19)Read MoreCommunism And Communism In Arthur Millers The Crucible711 Words   |  3 Pagestitled â€Å"The Crucible†. The McCarthy hearings of the 1950s inspired the notable play. Consequently, after the hearing, McCarthyism became a vociferous campaign carried out by Senator Joseph McCarthy, which accused people of communism. To declare, Miller uses an analogy using the events of the Salem Witch Trials of 1693 to expose the ugly truth behind communism and McCarthyism. To begin, the word crucible derived from the Latin root word â€Å"crux† means cross. In explanation, a crucible is a severeRead MoreEssay about McCarthyism as Modern Witch Hunts1614 Words   |  7 PagesMcCarthyism as Modern Witch Hunts McCarthyism: The Real Witch Hunts Some people nowadays may consider the government, or some of its agencies, corrupt. Todays scenario is nothing compared to that of McCarthyism in the 1950s. During McCarthyism, the nation was being torn apart. Their loyalty to one another was crushed and common human decency went down the drain (Miller, Crucible xiv). These Communist hunts were eerily similar to the witch hunts and trials of Salem Massachusetts in