Duke of Venice Othello: Moor, married to Desdoma Iago: Solider in Othello’s army Cassio: Lieutenant in Othello’s army Desdemona: Othello’s wife Emilia: Iago’s wife Rodreigo: Solider, love Desdemona

Dramatis Personae

Othello begins in the city of Venice, at night Roderigo is having a discussion with Iago, who is

bitter at being passed up as Othello's lieutenant. Though Iago had greater practice in battle and in

military matters, Cassio, a man of strategy but of little experience, was named lieutenant by Othello.

Iago says that he only serves Othello to further himself, and makes shows of his allegiance only for his own gain

He admits that his nature is not at all what it seems.

Iago is aware that the daughter of Brabantio, Desdemona , has run off with Othello, the black warrior of the Moors.

Brabantio knows nothing of this coupling Iago decides to enlist Roderigo, who lusts after

Desdemona, and awaken Brabantio with screams that his daughter is gone.

Act I Scene 1

At first, Brabantio dismisses these cries in the

dark He realizes his daughter is not there, he gives

the news some credence. Roderigo is the one speaking most to

Brabantio, but Iago is there too, hidden, yelling unsavory things about Othello

Brabantio panics, and calls for people to try and find his daughter

Iago leaves, not wanting anyone to find out that he betrayed his own leader

Brabantio begins to search for his daughter.

Act I Scene 1

The relationship between Roderigo and

Iago is somewhat close Roderigo shows this in his first statement:

Iago "hast had [Roderigo's] purse as if the strings were thine," he tells Iago (I.i.2-3)

The metaphor shows how much trust Roderigo has in Iago, and also how he uses Iago as a confidante

Does Iago share the same kind of feeling? As far as Roderigo knows, Iago is his friend Appearance is one thing and reality

another, as Iago soon will tell.

Analysis: Friendship

Iago tells several truths about himself to Roderigo He trusts Roderigo with the knowledge that he

serves Othello, but only to further himself. How ironic that after Iago's lengthy confession of

duplicity, Roderigo still does not suspect him of doublecrossing or manipulation.

Iago seems to do a great deal of character analysis and exposition for the audience

He divulges his purpose in serving Othello, and the kind of man he is.

Appearance vs. Reality is a crucial theme in Iago's story He enacts a series of roles, from advisor to confidante He appears to be helping people though he is only acting

out of his twisted self-interest.

Analysis: Trusting Appearance

"These fellows" that flatter for their own purposes "have some soul," Iago says

There is a double irony in this statement that Iago passes off as a truth

People who act one way and are another are duplicitous, and scarcely deserve the credit that Iago is trying to give them.

Iago, though he is one of those fellows, seems to have no soul He never repents, never lets up with his schemes, and never

seems to tire of damaging whatever he is able to. "In following [Othello] I follow but myself," Iago also professes This is a paradox in terms, but is revealing of Iago's purposes

in serving Othello. His language is revealing of his dark character; He uses the cliché "I will wear my heart upon my sleeve" to

convey how his heart is false, and his shows of emotion are also falsified

He turns this cliché into something more dark and fierce, when he adds the image of the birds tearing at this heart

He has foreshadowed the great deceptions that he will engineer, and the sinister qualities that make up his core.

Analysis: Metaphors and Paradox

The key to Iago's character is in the line "I

am not what I am“ Roderigo should take this as a warning,

but fails to. Everything which Iago presents himself as

is a false show This first scene represents the peak of

Iago's honesty about himself with another character.

Iago lacks remorse and uses false representations of himself to gain other’s trust.

Analysis: Parallels

Racial issues and themes which are at the

core of Othello's story and position are beginning to surface.

When Roderigo refers to Othello, he calls him "the thick lips“

This singles out one prominent characteristic of Othello's foreignness and black heritage

It displays a racial distrust of Othello based on his color.

Roderigo and Iago are not the only characters to display racism when referring to Othello

Racism is a pervasive theme within the work, spreading misconceptions and lies about Othello by tying him to incorrect stereotypes.

Analysis: Racism

Another element that surfaces repeatedly in the play

is the use of animal imagery; "an old black ram is tupping your white ewe," Iago yells to Brabantio

The use of animal imagery is used in many places in the play to convey immorality and illicit passion, as it does in this instance.

Iago also compares Othello to a "Barbary horse" coupling with Desdemona, and uses animal imagery to reinforce a lustful picture of Othello

Iago's statement is doubly potent, since it not only condemns Othello for his alleged lust, but also plays on Brabantio's misgivings about Othello's color

The juxtaposition of black and white, in connection with the animal imagery, is meant to make this image very repellent, and to inflame Brabantio to anger and action.

Analysis: Black and White

Iago especially mentions the devil many

times in the text The first time here in the first scene to

make Othello sound like a devil with: lust indiscretion strangeness

The irony is that Iago is so quick to make others out to be evil

The devil often takes disguises, just as Iago does embodying the theme of appearance vs. reality

He is the one who looks least guilty.

Analysis: Devils

Important to this scene is the fact that it is

held in darkness Things are unsteady and eerie, and

disorder rules - secrets. With Brabantio's call for light, there is a

corresponding call for some kind of order: darkness vs. light order vs. disorder Both important juxtapositions within the play they highlight the status of situations

These themes will appear again at the end, as the play returns to darkness, and chaos

Analysis: Imagery and Setting

Soliloquy – in a drama when a character

speaks to himself and relates thoughts and feelings

Iago’s intensions and motives are revealed in his soliloquies

It is his only opportunity to really be honest The other characters call him honest yet he is

only honest with the audience He makes the audience his co-conspirators

Iago’s Soliloquies

Iago has now joined Othello, and has told Othello

about Roderigo's betrayal of the news of his marriage.

He tells Othello that Brabantio is upset, and will probably try to tear Desdemona from him.

Cassio comes at last, as do Roderigo and Brabantio

Iago threatens Roderigo with violence, again making a false show of his loyalty to Othello.

Brabantio swears that Othello must have bewitched his daughter (racial reference), and that the state will not decide for him in this case.

Othello says that the Duke must hear him, and decide in his favor, or all is far from right in Venice.

Act I Scene 2

Iago continues his deliberate

misrepresentation: Swearing to Othello that he could have killed

Roderigo for what he did.

Iago is a very skilled actor: He is able to successfully present a contrary

appearance

Ironically, Iago alludes to Janus, the two-faced god, in his conversation with Othello.

Since Iago himself is two-faced Janus seems to be a fitting figure for Iago to invoke.

Analysis: Janus

Iago's duplicity is again exhibited in this scene as his tone swings: friendly to backbiting as soon as Othello steps away back to his original friendliness when Othello returns.

Iago acted supportive of Othello's marriage to Desdemona

Cassio enters and uses a rather uncomplimentary metaphor to tell what Othello has done: "He tonight hath boarded a land-carrack" His diction and choice of metaphor make Othello into

some kind of pirate stealing Desdemona's love Cassio reduces Desdemona into a mere prize to be

taken. Iago will soon want Cassio to think of Desdemona

as an object to be taken, and to believe Othello to be less honorable than he is.

Analysis

Othello's pride first becomes visible here He is exceptionally proud of his achievements

and his public stature Pride is a huge theme of Othello's story. He is proud of Desdemona's affection for him He would not give her up "for the seas' worth," he

says (l. 28). Othello is very confident in his worth, and in the

respect he commands If the leaders of the city decide to deny a worthy

man like him his marriage to Desdemona, then he believes: "bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be."

This statement of paradox betrays Othello's faith in the state and in the Duke's regard for him; hopefully, neither will fail him.

Analysis: Pride

The issue of race comes to the forefront, as Brabantio confronts Othello about his marriage to Desdemona.

Desdemona never would have "run from her guardage to the sooty bosom of a thing such as thou," Brabantio says (l. 71-2).

Brabantio assumes that Desdemona must have been "enchanted" to marry Othello merely because Othello is black

Brabantio ignores all of Othello's good qualities, and gives into his racist feelings.

Magic is another recurrent theme, and here is linked to stereotypes of African peoples as: knowing the black arts of magic being pagans being lusty

The theme of magic does not always play into the theme of race within the play

Analysis: Racism and Magic

At the time Shakespeare was writing,

there were in fact free blacks in England However, racism was even more

pronounced in Shakespeare's England than it is in Othello

A character like Othello could not have risen to such ranks in England at the time

Shakespeare's play is much more progressive than the time in which it was written.

Stereotypes are linked to Othello by other characters, but he manages to evade them through his nobility and individuality.

Analysis: Stereotypes and History

Military conflict is challenging the Venetian stronghold of Cyprus

There are reports that Turkish ships are heading toward the island, which means some defense will be necessary.

Brabantio and Othello enter the assembled Venetian leaders, who are discussing this military matter

Brabantio announces his grievance against Othello for marrying his daughter.

Othello addresses the company, admitting that he did marry Desdemona, but wooed her with stories, and did her no wrongs.

Desdemona comes to speak, and she confirms Othello's words: Brabantio's grievance is denied Desdemona will indeed stay with Othello.

Othello is called away to Cyprus, to help with the conflict there

Othello and Desdemona win their appeal, and Desdemona is to stay with Iago, until she can come to Cyprus and meet Othello there.

Act I Scene 3

Roderigo is upset that Desdemona and

Othello's union was allowed to stand He lusts after Desdemona. Iago assures him that the match will not

last long, and at any time, Desdemona could come rushing to him.

Iago wants to break up the couple, using Roderigo as his pawn, out of malice and his wicked ability to do so.

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Act I Scene 3

Brabantio again accuses Othello of bewitching his daughter, and airs his racism-based views.

He is not against the match because of any incompatibility of the couple

His metaphor of his grief as a flood, that "engluts and swallows other sorrows, and is still itself," means that he feels very strongly on this issue.

His strong objection foreshadows a confrontation between him and his daughter

If Desdemona does choose to stay with Othello, it seems likely that she will risk her father's love.

Analysis: Brabantio

In this scene Desdemona both reinforces and

breaks the stereo type of women at the time First she demonstrates she can not be trusted –

her father warns Othello about this later She then supports her “master” – her husband as

her mother supported her father She requests to go to Cypress with Othello It was very unusual for women to accompany their

husbands during a war Othello states, “she wished/ That heaven had

made her such a man.”

Analysis: Desdemona

Othello's appointment to Cyprus marks the true

beginning of his tragedy He will be much more vulnerable to Iago's vicious

attacks on his love and jealousy. This battle between order and chaos is a theme

running throughout the play As Othello sinks deeper into distrust of

Desdemona and is more consumed by his jealousy, chaos increases and threatens to devour him.

Analysis: Tragedy

The Duke's words of advice to the couple also mark the beginning of their tragic story

The Duke foretells trouble between the couple if they do not let grievances go, which ends up being a reason for Othello's fall.

The change of the verse into couplets signals the importance of the advice being offered.

The words of the Duke, and Brabantio's words that follow, are set off from the rest of the text and emphasized by this technique

The reader is notified, through the couplet rhyme, which hasn't appeared before in the text, that these are words that must be marked.

Analysis: Verse vs. Couple

The only magic that Othello possesses is

in his power of language. His language shows his pride in his

achievements Othello portrays himself as a tested,

honorable warrior, and indeed is such. This view of himself will prove

troublesome when he is hard pressed to recognize his jealousy and his lust

His inability to reconcile himself with these two aspects of his personality means that his doom is almost certain.

Othello's lack of self-knowledge means that he will be unable to stop himself once Iago begins to ignite his jealousy

Analysis: Othello’s Tragic Flaw

Othello's speech before the assembly

shows what he believes Desdemona's love to be: He thinks that Desdemona's affection is a form

of hero-worship She loves him for the stories he tells, and the

things he has done.

He believes it is his allusions to strange peoples and places, like the "Anthropophagi," that fascinate her

Indeed, his powers of language successfully win the Duke over, and soften Brabantio's disapproval.

Analysis: Allusions

Light and dark are again juxtaposed in the

Duke's declaration to Brabantio, that: "if virtue no delighted beauty lack/ your son-

in-law is far more fair than black." Black is associated with sin, evil, and darkness; These negative things are also associated to

black people, merely because of the color of their skin.

The Duke's statement is ironic, since Othello is black, but truthful, because his soul is good and light.

Light/white/fairness all convey innocence, goodness, any symbol that is white has these qualities.

The juxtaposition of black and white, light and dark shows up again and again in the play, as the colors become symbolic within the story.

Analysis: White and Black

"Our bodies are our gardens," Iago tells Roderigo Iago is a very good judge of human nature, and

easily able to manipulate people in ways that will benefit him most

This cleverness also means that he is a source of wisdom in the play

Iago's metaphor is particularly applicable to many in this play, himself excluded; characters do have vices that they allow to grow in themselves

They also have aspects of themselves which balance these vices out.

Iago's knowledge of this allows him to do away with this balance and set chaos into motion

Analysis: Origin of Chaos

Iago's purpose becomes plain:

He sees that Othello and Desdemona's marriage is less than solid

He seeks to use his powers to break this marriage apart.

Iago is again "honest" about his intent, but only to a person whose involvement will help him greatly.

The words "honest" and "honesty" appear repeatedly in the play, and are usually used by Iago, or in reference to him

Ironically, Iago is the only person in the play whom Othello trusts to judge who is and is not honest

Analysis: Cross Purposes