A tragic figure, according to the classic definition, is a person of noble birth whose character is flawed by a weakness that causes his downfall. Othello, while not a prince or a king, is descended from royalty, and proves himself worthy as a powerful soldier and a gentle, poetic man. While some people feel that his fatal flaw is his jealous nature, others feel Othello proves that he is not prone to jealousy. I tend to favor the notion that Othello's flaw is a jealous passion that he cannot control. He's slow to anger, but once he's angered, his passion overwhelms his common sense. Once Iago is able to persuade Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful, Othello is on a collision course to his demise and is so overcome with jealous rage that he allows nothing to stand in his way to revenge. He kills his wife as a result of his passion, and eventually kills himself. This waste of his life, full of promise and noble intentions, depicts the true tragedy of the play. I don't think it can be said that Othello is either a tragic figure that falls victim to outside forces, or that he is a person with deep character flaws. It's simply not that black and white. I feel that Othello fits somewhere in between those two statements, and that it's a combination of both ideas that ultimately leads to his demise.
             Now, as far as fatal flaws are concerned, Othello's flaw is definitely a jealous passion that is beyond his control. The character of Iago is quick to spot this weakness in Othello, and quickly uses it to get his revenge on him. Through manipulation, Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, and then provides the so-called "proof" of the infidelity that Othello demands. Othello is driven into a rage at his betrayal and easily gives in to Iago's suggestion that both his wife and Cassio must be killed. Othello does not really want to kill Desdemona, as evidenced when...