Shakespeare does not use the decasyllabic line style but prose. This may show the emotions of the characters especially Iago and Brabantio who though intelligent are highly emotional at this stage in the play. Shakespeare is very loose with this format even when Othello himself is speaking this again highlights the emotion and tension on stage.
The first scene is set in Venice and opens with the double character Iago and is juxtaposing, yet unaware conciliator. Here Shakespeare highlights the double standards of the noble Venice, represented by Brabantio. Though they are willing to accept the Moor into their society, they will certainly not allow him to marry their daughters.
Shakespeare creates a sense of commotion in the first scene, portraying Othello as dangerous, because of this Othello needs to prove himself for the audience to respect him now and more importantly to empathise with him later. Shakespeare achieves this by using Iago’s plot to turn Othello against Roderigo to state the great things about Othello. These are his “royal siege”, his “demerits”, fortunes and most importantly his “unhouséd” love for Desdemona of which he is not ashamed. In this simple Paragraph all that is good and virtuous about Othello is highlighted and the audience also gets an insight into Desdemona’s character; it is Othello that calls her “Gentle Desdemona”. By doing this Shakespeare is creating a bond between the couple that the audience can clearly see whilst her father shows no affection but a great deal of anger. Iago also profanely likens Desdemona to a “White ewe” 1.1.90, discrediting her as well as Othello.
Though the play is performed in a theatre most certainly in the day Shakespeare uses the night as a symbol of deception, lies and dishonesty. We know it is night because Iago and Roderigo wake Brabantio up. Iago calls “Awake” to Brabantio and also orders Roderigo to call
“…like timorous accent and dire yell,
As when, by night and negligence the fire
Is spied in populous cities.” 1.1.76-78
This passage works on two ways. The fire represents the future events that will take place as well as the actual simile between Roderigo’s calls and the calls for a fire. The use of populous is directly referring to Venice though can be taken as a negative thing. Iago is saying the densely populated city has given Desdemona too much freedom of choice.
Othello is portrayed a very courageous and heroic man and a good soldier and in 1.3.127-169 he tells his story directly to the audiences. He tells of the “Cannibals that each other eat” and that love was his only witchcraft. Here Shakespeare is distancing his tragic hero from the Africa his original audience knew, adding to his gentlemanly, civilised character.
By the end of the scene Othello has proved himself to the audience and it is the Duke who points out to Brabantio “Your son-in-law is far more fair than black” This reiterates to the audience Othello’s noble character by someone else commending him and not anyone but a Gentleman of Venice.
Iago and Roderigo open the Act and they close it also. When all others have left the stage Iago reverts to prose showing his base character and the fact that Roderigo is not intelligent, as we know.
The first act introduces all the characters who are key to the story and who build up a picture of life in Venice at the time. Othello is portrayed as a good man who is well liked but still an outsider and the audience are introduced to Iago’s plot. This allows them to think about the reverse of good and evil in the play. Since the evil one in this case it the Venetian whilst the good one is the outsider.
The hierarchy in the society is clearly laid out with Iago’s wife waiting on Desdemona and Brabantio being a well-respected member of Venetian society. Finally the Audience is presented with Iago’s soliloquy highlighting him isolation and corruptness as well as promising dire things to come in the future.
