The structure of the play does have an impact on the audience’s reaction in that Othello is not at all in Act 1 Scene 1 and is portrayed as an animal, “Old black ram is tupping your white ewe”, which is referring to Othello and Desdemona having animal sex, and therefore very lowly, and then in Scene 2 coming across as very strong and confident, and high and mighty. This shows Othello as being strong and also shows Iago as the villain.
In Act 1 Scene 3 Othello is seen in the play to be well respected by the community, confirming the audience’s belief in scene 2, as the Duke becomes sceptical when it is accused that Othello has used witchcraft against Desdemona in order to seduce her. Othello also airs a lot of confidence when he announces his love for Desdemona and this love seems to be true.
However, we begin to see the first ‘cracks’ in Othello’s personality because he seems almost embarrassed that Desdemona was the main driving force behind the relationship. This is shown by Othello explaining to the Duke that he noticed Desdemona wanted to hear his stories of war, so tried to subtlety persuade her to make him share his stories, and when she finally asks him of course he consents. This is a very long-winded and prolonged series of events when what is most likely to have happened was that she just asked him to repeat his stories, to her alone. This seems to show Othello’s thirst for power and control over Desdemona, which becomes ever more apparent as the play progresses.
By Act 2 Scene 1, the setting has completely changed and the war is over in double quick time, leading both audiences (16th and modern) to admire his battle ability, by line 20 the war is over “A noble ship of Venice hath seen a grievous wrack and sufferance on most part of their fleet”
When Othello meets Desdemona again, it is clearly visible that he loves her very much, but seems to be almost obsessive, and you get the feeling that he would kill for her. Also he seems very jealous and protective when it comes to Desdemona, and seeing as she is a very independent and individual person this could come into play later in the play. “If it were now to die ‘twere now to be most happy”, this shows how obsessively in love with her he is. Again it is matter of control it seems, and it seems if he is no longer able to control her then he would have to die. This seems a very irrational approach to things, especially a man who is highly respectable both in the army and Venetian society in general.
In Act 2 Scene 2, after the fight between Cassio and Roderigo, Othello is forced to leave his passionate time alone with Desdemona and comes to sort out the aftermath, but makes very rash decisions by dismissing Cassio, without weighing everything up rationally. This comes across as Desdemona’s influence and also his eagerness to get back to bed. He is also trying to protect her from the outside events, “All’s well now sweeting: come away to bed”. This shows his instinctive behaviour to protect her and keep his control over her.
Both the audience’s feelings towards Othello are probably quite similar, though the 16th century’s audiences would probably be more biased. The modern audience would be thinking that Othello is a fine soldier, but since his marriage with Desdemona, her influence has caused his judgement to fog slightly and he is being rash at times and it is probably felt that Desdemona is a bad influence.
The 16th century audience, based on the fact that he is different, being black, may feel glee that Othello is falling for Iago’s plan and knowing that Othello is going to come out worse. The loss of cool and calm-headedness give reason to believe that Othello is going to make a very grave mistake.
In Act 3 Scene 3 we see Othello’s character change many times, and this scene is the most important and longest scene in the book.
Iago is seen as exploiting every little thing he can twist in his favour, and does it so skilfully that it is made to seem like the characters are simultaneously acting under their own free will and as Iago’s puppets.
At the beginning of Act 3 Scene 3 Othello has the doubt of Desdemona and Cassio having an affair, but does still trust her. However, when he sees Cassio hastily leave the company of Desdemona, Othello must feel a definite feeling of anxiety over the suspicion that they may be having an affair.
When Othello and Desdemona first speak in the scene, she is being rather demanding, by pressuring him to go and speak to Cassio. This will inevitably place more doubt in Othello’s mind, but tries not to show it, by evading her proposed meeting with Cassio. Eventually, however, he gives into her by saying “I will deny thee nothing” this shows that once again Desdemona is in control of this relationship, and Othello is powerless. This would probably have been said by the actor playing Othello (this is if I were directing a play) in a weary, defeated tone, with clear signs of worry on his face; this would show Desdemona is quite a commanding person, and in charge of their marriage, and also that Othello is clearly worried about his marriage and Desdemona’s alleged infidelity.
After Othello and Desdemona speak, and the important line “I will deny thee nothing”, which shows both Desdemona’s control over Othello, which he clearly doesn’t like and also is growing suspicion over Desdemona’s actions, Othello is left alone with Iago, and inevitably Iago works his magic on Othello, by very cleverly manipulating Othello’s fears and doubts.
Othello composes himself after Desdemona has left and reveals his undying love for Desdemona, but claims that if he were to find her not loving him solely, basically saying if he finds her being unfaithful, then he would have no use living anymore, “But I do love thee! And when I love thee not, Chaos is come again”.
We see Iago cleverly echoing Othello, which makes Othello more and more uneasy, and also leads to him asking him if Iago thinks Cassio is honest, “Show me thy thought”. Here we see Iago manipulating Othello very well, Iago feigns reluctance to answer when asked, which places thoughts of adultery, until he screams at his right hand man, “Why, why is this?”, this plays right into Iago’s hands, who eventually says “I speak not of proof. Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio”. This makes Othello a lot more doubtful, but fully trusts Iago, and assumes that he’s telling the truth and that he had better watch them. It never occurs to Othello that Iago could be lying. Also the fact that she has deceived her father; leaves the thought that she could also deceive him by leaving doubts in his mind.
By now Othello’s mind has got the seeds of doubt sown his mind, solely by Iago’s manipulative nature and how situations have been twisted to show the signs that his wife is not all it seems. The 16th century audience may find these series of events, and the drastic change in character as hilarious, probably based on the fact that he is black and a man of his race, they feel, should not be in such a high position of power. His irrationality may give the audience glee and make them feel like a superior race, as this is what was believed in the 16th century.
The modern audience, however may be feeling confused as to how he got into the high position of army general when he seems so irrational and gullible.
Here we come to the point of Othello’s soliloquy where we see Othello by himself for the 1st time. We see our thoughts confirmed that he does feel that she could quite easily be having an affair. He claims that if he “do prove her haggard” then he would “whistle her off”, meaning he will get him out of his life, one way or another. He refers to her as an animal, which shows a few things. It shows he thinks low of her and that he is below her, and that he feels he has control over her, especially as he is referring to her as a hawk and him as a trainer. However, it also shows that he thinks she has animal instincts, perhaps inferring that she will not stay with that one mate for the rest of her life, but will move on to different partners.
Then Desdemona comes in and he treats her coldly for the second time in that scene by rejecting her offer of a handkerchief. We see that he is so worried about the relationship, that how he treats her has started to suffer because of his suspicions.
The handkerchief is used to Iago’s advantage, as he uses it as circumstantial proof to show to Iago what he fears is true.
When Othello re-enters he blames Iago for telling him about her infidelity and goes as far as saying: “I had been happy if the general camp…had tasted her sweet body, so I had nothing known.” He demands “Ocular proof”, and this shows signs that he has actually thought about these allegations, but as we can quite plainly see he is very insecure and wants control over Desdemona, but lacks that instinct. Othello now pledges to rid of Desdemona and Cassio.
Othello is easily led and Iago tells him that he has seen Cassio with her handkerchief, and Othello takes this as ocular proof. We see Othello is very confused about everything including his feelings, and Iago knows this and that is why he is trying to persuade him to rid of her as quickly as possible.
By the end of Act 3 Scene 3 we see Othello plotting to kill Desdemona and is psychotic, whilst at the beginning he has only minor doubts in his mind. We have seen Othello is vulnerable and is grasping to certainty, which makes him gullible, and Iago exploits this to his advantage.
The 21st century audience would be feeling, at the end of the Act 3 Scene 3 that Othello is a person with two sides to him, a strong, hard and calming outer shell. But he also possesses a very weak, vulnerable inner core, which is what is now showing after pledging to kill Desdemona, “swift means of death for the fair devil”.
The 16th century audience will see that Othello only sees black and white, as in Iago claims to have seen Cassio with his wife’s handkerchief, so therefore they must be having an affair, and there is no other possible explanation, and this is in direct relation with him being the only black person in that 16th century society.
In Act 3 Scene 4 and Act 4 we see Othello interrogating Emilia and Iago for more information and of course Iago is more than willing to grant him this information. Also he is still very cold with Desdemona and in Act 4 Scene 1 he slaps her in front of all her family.
Also in Act 4 Scene 1 we see Iago very cleverly manipulating a situation to make Othello think that Cassio is laughing about his sexual relationship with Desdemona.
We see Othello becoming more and more insane, and is seen to be set on one goal ridding the world (or at least his own personal world) of Cassio and Desdemona. Even Lodovico is amazed by Othello’s sudden surge of anger and slapping of Desdemona: “Are his wits safe”.
By Act 5 we see that murder is going to take place and in Act 5 Scene 1 we see that Iago’s malicious nature has persuaded Roderigo to kill Cassio. However, it is Roderigo who is slain.
In Act 5 Scene 2, the final scene of the book we see Othello approaching Desdemona whilst she is asleep. She awakes, which is not what Othello wants and his emotions towards her are thrown into turmoil.
