Emily Evans

English 1020

Fatal Flaw Comparative Paper

Mr. Thoma

4/26/13

King Oedipus, Jocasta, and Othello are three characters in which their character 

flaws would cause them great grief, and eventually death. King Oedipus was written

around is a Greek tragedy, and Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare that was

written in the early 1600‟s. Both King Oedipus and Othello are the main characters in

the plays. They are natural leaders and at the beginning are regarded well by their 

societies for being heroes. Jocasta is the mother, and wife of King Oedipus.

Many people look upon both King Oedipus & Othello in high esteem. King

Oedipus is well regarded by Thebes because he saved them from the Sphinx and her 

insurmountable riddle. When Thebes is stuck with the plague, the citizens all trust in

King Oedipus because they believe that he will be able to save them, just like he did in

the past. The people also respect King Oedipus because he is openly concerned for the

people of Thebes. “I grieve for you, my children. Believe me, I know.”** Othello is well

respected because he is an honored General in the Army. When Othello is referring to

the stories about himself, he is very modest and does not take responsibility for all of his

achievements. While the whole community of Thebes respects King Oedipus, he is also

very boastful and quick to remind his audience that he conquered the sphinx (therefore

he can conquer anything). Consequently, there are people who do not respect Othello,

such as Iago, who described Othello as an “old black ram”(***) 

Jocasta and her husband, King Laius, had their son, and then heard a prophecy

that their son would kill his father and then bare children with his mother. In an attempt

to escape this fate, they impaled a rod through his feet and put him in the designated

place for unwanted and/or handicapped children. A shepherd came and took pity on the

 

Emily Evans

English 1020

Fatal Flaw Comparative Paper

Mr. Thoma

4/26/13

baby, he named him Oedipus (which means swollen foot, poor guy) and took him home.

Later in his life he was traveling to the city of Thebes, and on his way, killed Laius (who

he thought was a poor traveler), therefore fulfilling the first part of the prophecy. When

he arrived in the city the word of the king‟s death has already spre ad through the city.

He defeated the sphinx and then married Queen Jocasta, who is his mother and as a

result, fulfills the last part of the prophecy. After Teiresias comes to Oedipus and tells

him about the prophecy, and Jocasta discovers what she has done, she commits

suicide.

Both King Oedipus and Othello had flaws in their character that contributed to

their fall. King Oedipus was a very egotistical man, which is evidenced through the

scene where Teiresias approaches Oedipus with the prophecy from the Oracle of 

Delphi. To no one‟s surprise, his first reaction to Teiresias‟ anecdote is denial. Oedipus

quickly charges Teiresias with conspiring in the plague, “I tell you I do believe you had a

hand in plotting”***, and to further his insolence, insults him by referring to the fact that

Teiresias is blind. Othello‟s character flaw is that he is made jealous of Cassio, whom

he believes Desdemona is having an affair with; without any real evidence except a

handkerchief, and Iago ‟s made-up stories giving Othello the wrong idea. After Othello is

convinced that Desdemona is cheating on him, he plots to kill Desdemona, “ Ay, let her 

rot and perish, and be damned to night, for she shall not live!”*** While both of these

characters flaws contributed to their fall, King Oedipus could never stop his fall, but if 

Othello had not been deceived by Iago and become so jealous and untrusting of his

beloved Desdemona, he may not have come to his imminent demise.

 

Emily Evans

English 1020

Fatal Flaw Comparative Paper

Mr. Thoma

4/26/13

Othello was more responsible for his decline than King Oedipus was. King

Oedipus fate was sealed before he was born by the prophecy made by the Oracle of 

Delphi. However, Othello could have easily avoided his fall, as his fall was motivated by

 jealously. Cassio was given the job of Lieutenant by Othello, and Iago believed that he

was more deserving of the title . Othello‟s fall was based on Cassio and Desdemona

having an “affair ”. It is Othello‟s decisions that cause him to fall from his well-respected

position, while it is King Oedipus‟ destiny, which causes him to fall.

Each character muddled through their decline in a different way. King Oedipus

had said earlier in the play, “His fate will be nothing worse than banishment ”***, when

talking about the fate of the person responsible for the plague oppressing Thebes.

However, when Oedipus found out that he had caused the plague (and about what he

did with his own mother), he punishes himself by sticking pins in his eyes. “He pierced

his eyeballs time and time again, till bloody tears ran down his beard-not drops. ”*** He

did this after finding Jocasta dead, and the pins that he blinds himself with are from her 

dress. His reason for blinding himself is so when he dies he cannot see his mother or 

father and the blame they place on themselves and on him. “How could I meet my

father beyond the grave with seeing eyes; or my unhappy mother, against whom I have

committed heinous sin.”*** King Oedipus bears the punishment he promised would be

paid to the „unclean thing” and is banished from Thebes by Creon who succeeds him,

“Command no more. Obey. Your rule is ended. ” However Othello, schemes with Iago to

kill Cassio and Desdemona. “How shall I murder him, Iago? and she shall not live!” 

Nevertheless, Othello is being fooled. He believes that by killing the gentle Desdemona

 

Emily Evans

English 1020

Fatal Flaw Comparative Paper

Mr. Thoma

4/26/13

that he is saving himself. Iago‟s wicked set up is revealed when Emilia tells the story

about the scarf. Othello not only realizes that he no longer holds his once esteemed

position, but also he has murdered the woman that he contravened her own father to

marry. “Here is my journey end.”*** The last scene is of Othello killing Iago, and then

himself. “I kissed thee, ere I killed thee: no way but this, killing myself, to die upon a

kiss.”*** The last line of Othello (and also of King Oedipus) reflects on the atrocities that

have taken place, “This heavy act with heavy heart relate.”***

King Oedipus and Othello were both great men who lost their power because of 

events that they may have prevented had they either not challenged fate, or trusted the

people around them. While King Oedipus‟ fate was determined from his birth, Othello

could have prevented his fate. Both dramas have the predominant theme that you

cannot change fate and if you attempt to, the penalty will be death.