Iago and Roderigo are arguing because Iago has stole money from Roderigo, ‘That thou, who hast had my purse’ and Iago was given the money to get Desdemona to fancy Roderigo. Shakespeare includes this to show unrest tension, it makes the atmosphere feel like there’s going to be arguments later on.
In the opening, Shakespeare gives us a huge insight on Iago’s character. He hates Othello because he gave Cassio the job as a lieutenant and didn’t deserve it. Iago is much more experienced in battle unlike Cassio ‘That never set a squadron in the field’ this shows Cassio hasn’t ever properly been into battle, not like Iago who has. Iago was promised the job next ‘In personal suit to make me his lieutenant’ this proves Iago is angry and wanted the promotion more. Iago is not a typical villain because he has motives for his revenge. Iago then calls Othello the ‘moor’ he says this in effect that he is racist because ‘moor’ means complexion and Othello is black. Iago can also be deceiving ‘I am not what I am’ this tells us Iago can be secretive and is always hiding things. This personality of Iago relates to the rest of the play as he is going to pretend to like Othello.
In the second section of scene 1, Iago wakes Brabantio up in the night as revenge on Othello. He is says that Othello has stolen his daughter ‘Awake! What ho, Brabantio! Thieves, thieves, thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!’ He is shouting to make it seem like and emergency. Iago wants Brabantio to catch Othello so this shows us that Iago is scheming. Brabantio hears Iago shouting ‘your heart is burst: you have lost half your soul’ this shows that Iago is now being crude and he emphasises things, he talks about sexual imagery and makes things sound shoddier as than they are ‘Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe’ this shows that Iago is very skilful in the way he makes things sound, by calling Othello the ‘Black ram’ and he refers to Desdemona ad ‘white ewe’. He isn’t been racist, he refers them to these animals because is makes Othello seem tough and strong and makes Desdemona seem sweet and innocent.
Brabantio then calls Iago a villain ‘Thou art a villain’ this is ironic because Brabantio doesn’t really mean it and he just says it because he doesn’t believe him but Iago is really a villain. Roderigo says that Brabantio’s fair daughter has been taken away ‘To the gross clasps of a lascivious moor’ this suggests Othello is like an eagle that has swooped down and snatched poor Desdemona away. This is a skilful section to the play, by the way Shakespeare has written it. Shakespeare has us waiting to see Othello because of all the talks and arguments about him so far and we haven’t met his character yet. The audience are expecting an argument when Othello enters.
Iago then slips away in the next bit at the first sign of trouble, so this shows he is hiding his true nature. After he has told Brabantio about Othello, Iago leaves ‘Farewell, for I must leave you: It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place’ this shows Iago is scheming because he slides away from any risk of discovery. He leaves the stage to go and warn Othello that Brabantio his looking for him, to make him seem loyal to Othello.
At the end of the scene there is Brabantio with his servants and Roderigo. These are on the stage because they are still looking for Othello and Desdemona. We now expect to see Othello because Roderigo seems to have revealed where he is ‘I think I can discover him, if you please to get good guard and go along with me’ this shows Roderigo knows where Othello is, so he asks to get more guards as they are close.
After the end of this scene there would be a pause to set up the next scene in Othello’s lodgings. This pause would leave the audience on a cliff hanger and create more tension as they wait for Brabantio and Othello’s meeting.