Roderigo: “By heaven, I would rather have been his hangman”.
(Act 1, scene 1 line 34)
This proves to the audience Roderigo’s hatered for Othello. Iago and Roderigo are not loyal and do not want to serve under Othello. They believe Othello is unfair. These accusations are later proved false when the audience see and hear Othello on stage. As Othello’s character continues to be discussed by Iago and Roderigo, derogatory references are made about his Moorish origins. Roderigo mock Othello’s thick lips and Iago repeatedly refers to him as ‘the Moor’.
Iago: “To love the moor” (Act 1 scene 1 line 41)
Iago: “Were I the moor, I would not be Iago.” (Act 1, scene 1, line 62)
It is made clear that Othello compares badly with Iago’s portrait of himself as an honest man. Iago frequently portrays Othello to the audience something of an alien from the Venetian society. Iago emphasises Othello’s race. The term moor is used quite often as Shakespeare represents Othello. Othello is constantly referred to as ‘he’ or the ‘moor’ but not named. This aspect of Othello’s race show’s that Iago is trying to take away Othello’s individuality.
Roderigo refers to Othello as ‘thick lips’
Roderigo: What full fortune does the thick lips owe, if he can carry’t thus!” (Act 1, scene1, line 71)
Roderigo is referring to Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, the daughter of Brabantio And this shows his dislike for Othello by speaking and in a way listening and looking at the play today we find very racist. This is about his physical features. The dramatic effect this has on the audience is to see that Roderigo is purposefully insulting Othello and being racist. This gives the audience the impression also that Othello is isolated from the social world into which he has married. This shows Roderigo’s dislike for Othello. He has no respect for him as a person or a General. Both Iago and Roderigo want some revenge against him. This proves Roderigo’s hate for Othello. The conversation is turned as Roderigo disturbs Brabantio at Iago’s bidding. Iago keeps talking about the marriage between the Othello and Desdemona.
Shakespeare has Iago using a series of derogatory metaphors, which reflect his attitude, possibly, the attitude of war of Venetians, to race , social class and citizenship during the era of his writing. Iago continues his devious provocation by implying to Brabantio that common thieves have abducted his daughter. Desdemona has secretly entered into marriage without the knowledge of her father.
Iago “Awake, what, ho, Brabantio! Thieves, thieves !”
(Act 1, scene1, line 85)
Iago emphasises Othello’s age and his colour and explicitly refers to Othello in terms such as: “an old black ram”. The audiences at this point know nothing of Othello that is gained by their own observations of him. Instead we are lead to believe from Iago’s race and description that Othello is a threatening and evil moor, whose bestial sexual appetite as conveyed by Iago.
Iago cries out to Brabantio, telling him Othello is copulating with Desdemona.
Iago: “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (Act 1, scene1, line 96)
Iago’s ugly animal related language, an example of an ‘old black ram’ gives the audience nothing but negatives images of Othello. Especially when an old black ram is associated with the innocence of a white ewe.
Iago then associates Othello with diabolic image of the devil.
Iago: “Or else the devil will make a grandsire out of you”
(Act 1, scene1, line 99)
Iago to the physical side of marriage, in a very ugly and aggressive way.
Iago wants to get Othello arrested for the secret marriage to Desdemona.
Shakespeare creates jealousy when Roderigo calls Othello a ‘lascivious moor’
Roderigo: “To the gross clasps of a lascivious moor”
(Act 1,scene 1 line 140)
Roderigo becomes racist again, towards Othello, as the scene progress. During his conversation to Brabantio. Brabantio becomes inflamed with rage because of the sexually suggestive language used by Iago and Roderigo when they convey the news of his daughters marriage.
It is important to note however, that whilst Iago and Roderigo are painting a very bleak picture of Othello, they are the same time revealing their own malicious characters. It increasingly becomes clear to the audience that the impressions they create of Othello are but reflections of their own personal interests. Iago is particularly disloyal and is affected in his loyalty to Othello.
Iago: “I follow him to serve my turn upon him” (Act 1, scene 1 line 44)
In following him, I follow but myself..”… ”(Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, but seeming so for my peculiar end…”). He is also very manipulative in provoking his close friend Roderigo and Brabantio the senator, for his own selfish purposes. By revealing these negative traits in their character in scene 1, Shakespeare alerts his audience to be objective in their judgement of Othello, long before he actually appears on stage.
Iago: ‘Moor are now making the beast with two backs”
(Act 1, scene 1, line 130)
Iago’s intentions are crystal clear: his statements are meant to underline Othello’s flaw as a foreigner, and a worthless ‘gondolier’ almost bestial sexual passion - totally unworthy of an well-known Venetian statesman’s pure and innocent daughter.
Scene 2
In contrast to his early portrayal, Othello enters the stage in scene 2 as a man of integrity, discipline. Shakespeare portrays Othello as a wise, courageous, intelligent and patient man, who speaks openly, sensibly and to the point. The audience sees Othello’s courage when he is told to hide from Brabantio, but refuses to run away. Othello feels secure in the rightness of his position.
Othello: “ My parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly” (Act 1, Scene 2, line 34).
Iago’s complex character is shown through his capability to judge people and their characters and use it to influence them to do things in a way that benefits him and allows him to move closer towards his ambitions.
Iago tries to presents himself as a friend to Othello achieving Othello’s trust.
Iago: “Those are the raised father and his friends”
(Act 1, scene 2, line 32)
Iago makes Othello feel that he is a friend who is trying to aid him. The audience knows Iago’s aim to destroy Othello’s marriage.
The audience in Act one, scene two, realises that Othello is very different from the person portrayed by Iago and Roderigo in Act one scene one.
Othello displays clear virtues of honesty, sincerity and a devout sense of loyalty, which stands in harsh contrast to Iago’s character. He shows even greater self-discipline in the face of extreme provocation by Brabantio, who confronts him as a foul thief and an abuser.
Brabantio: “Oh thou foul thief! Where has thou stowed my daughter”(Act 1, scene 2, line 76)
Brabantio’s language is particularly offensive as he makes accusations about Othello.
Othello honourably rebuffs the prospect of a fight and accepts the summons to answer the charges levelled against him.
Othello: “Where will you that I go to answer this your charge”
(Act 1 scene 2 line 100)
In further contrast to his early portrayal by Iago and Roderigo, Shakespeare continues to build the image of Othello prior to his appearance before the Duke and Senators of Venice.
The first Senator refers to him as ‘the valiant Moor’ and ‘ the valiant Othello’ respectively.
1st Senator: “Here comes Brabantio and the valiant Moor”
(Act 1, scene 3, line 53)
The Duke goes on to show Othello’s great importance as the general to summon in the event of an awaiting military crisis.
When Othello eventually gets an opportunity to respond to his accusers before the Duke and the council, he displays the highest respect and politeness when he speaks to Brabantio.
Othello: “Good signor, you shall more command with years than with your weapons” (Act 1, scene 2, line 74)
Once again, his honesty and integrity are willingly obvious to the audience: he does not deny marrying Desdemona. Despite his status as an army general of considerable reputation, he does not resort to arrogant boasting in his defence nor attempt in any way to dishonour the dignity and reputation of his wife. Instead, Othello asks the Duke to listen to his new wife by allowing Desdemona to give her own account of events and humbly accepts any sentence the council deems fit to impose on him, if he were found guilty of any misdemeanour.
Shakespeare shows Othello’s confidence that he has won Desdemona love feeling without magic. In effect, Shakespeare portrays Othello to the audience as a thoroughly honourable man throughout Act 1.
Scene 3
Another feature Othello exhibits in Scene 3 is his selfless commitment to duty as an army general. Despite being newly married, Othello does not hesitate to respond promptly and positively to the Duke’s instruction to return to war against the Turks. In fact, the only request he makes of the Duke is for suitable accommodation to be provided for Desdemona during his absence. Even when Desdemona pleads to accompany her husband to the battlefront, the valiant Othello remains extremely protective of her as a woman and is willing to make any sacrifice to ensure her comfort and safety.
By the time the council retires for the night, the Duke is so impressed by Othello’s behaviour.
Duke: “If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son- in –law is far more fair than black”. (Act 1, scene 3, line 318)
To reaffirm Othello’s character, Shakespeare goes on to show how Brabantio finds Othello’s integrity more convincing than that of his own daughter; he warns:
Brabantio: “ Look to her Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father and may well thee”. (Act1, scene 3, line 321)
On his part, Othello reveals his thoroughly trusting nature by exclaiming:” My life upon her faith!”
Othello is described as one of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes and the build-up to this emerges as early as Act 1. From the beginning of Act 1 to its end, Othello makes a transition from being a despised, racially and socially substandard character, highly maligned to the audience by other characters in the play even before his appearance. Although that image is gradually but strongly reversed as Act 1 progresses, the audience cannot fail to miss the fatal flaw in the hero’s character just before the close of that Act. By entrusting his most loved Desdemona to no other than the disloyal Iago (‘Honest Iago’, according to Othello) as he leaves for war, Shakespeare creates a classic irony typical of his works. Once again, Othello demonstrates a major fault in his character: that of being far too trusting and utterly ignorant. The manipulative Iago is fully aware of this weakness, and in his soliloquy at the close of Act 1, he recounts,
Whilst the famous dramatist leaves his audience totally concerned about the character of Othello, the clear conclusion they can draw from Act 1 is that Othello is an honourable man but possibly one who is far too trusting for others, especially far too trusting of Iago, which makes it very odd that he cannot trust Desdemona. When Iago suggest that she is having an affair with someone else. By the end of Act one, the audience can suspect the flaw in Othello’s character. The audience can also see that he as many admirable characteristics.
