Show how Shakespeare sets out the contrasting characters of Othello and Iago in Act 1 of Othello

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Show how Shakespeare sets out the contrasting characters of Othello and Iago in Act 1 of Othello.

The characters of Othello and Iago are central to the plot in the play Othello. They are two of the play's main characters, but couldn't be more dissimilar. The ways in which Shakespeare outlines these contrasts in character in Act 1 of the play will be analysed with examples from the text given as evidence of the contrasts.

We know Othello is going to be a key figure in the play as it is named after him. However, we meet Iago first. Shakespeare indicates in Act 1 Scene 1 that Iago will also have a significant part to play in the play and in fact a lot about his character is revealed in his opening exchanges with Roderigo and Brabantio. We learn very quickly that he is two-faced in lines 59-65 when he tells us that he is only putting on an act of obedience to serve his own ends, while concealing his true feelings, which are of contempt and dislike of Othello.

Shortly after this, we get our first glimpse of Iago's ability to mastermind and engineer plots, while