Othello, the Moor of Venice is one of the major tragedies written by William Shakespeare that follows the main character, Othello, through his trials and tribulations. Othello, the Moor of Venice is similar to William Shakespeare's other tragedies and follows a specific set of dramatic rules. The requirements include, after the definition of tragedy, the definition of tragic hero, containing a reversal of fortune and a descent from happiness. William Shakespeare fulfills Aristotle's requirements in this famous work. Aristotle, the famous philosopher, outlined several requirements that a work or drama must follow. The first rule that is respected in Shakespeare's work is that Othello is considered a tragic hero, something that every tragedy must contain. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be a man in a position of power who is a good person and makes a mistake during the play's timeline due to a tragic flaw. Othello's main flaw can be seen in jealousy: "Othello has often been described as a tragedy of character, as the play's protagonist quickly descends into a jealous rage that completely destroys his life" ("Othello"). Othello is shown as a good man in the first scenes of the play: “He wished he hadn't heard it; yet he wished that heaven had made him such a man” (1.3.162-163). This line in Act I spoken by Othello indicates that he is a good person, even though he may appear to have stolen Desdemona from her father. Othello says that although he took Desdemona as his wife without Brabantio's consent, he is a good person to state the reasons for his actions and stand his ground. After Othello's marriage to Desdemona, conflict begins when Iago insinuates t...... middle of paper ...... Works Cited Catherine Bates, "Weaving and Writing in Othello," in Shakespeare Survey, vol. 46, edited by Stanley Wells, Cambridge University Press, 1994, pp. 51–60. Dreher, Diane. "Shakespeare's Cordelia and the Power of Character." World and April 1, 1998: 287+. Collection of fine arts and music. Network. December 11, 2011. Newton, K. M. "Othello: Overview." Reference guide to English literature. Ed. DL Kirkpatrick. 2nd ed. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991. Literature Resource Center. Network. December 11, 2011."Othello." Shakespeare for Students: Critical Interpretations of Shakespeare's Plays and Poems. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. 2nd ed. vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 649-687. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Network. 11 December 2011.Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Literature. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. 368-455. Press.