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.