Iago speaks in blank verse in iambic pentameter, 'Despise me if I do not. Three great ones of the city'. Shakespeare often uses this strict rhythm in important speeches to involve the audience in
what is being said by identifying with the oral sequence of the character. Iago’s uninterrupted speech fills in the background so the audience knows some details to fully understand the plot, a hang over of the Greek tragic chorus, who would sing to inform spectators. Also, this speech introduces the questionable protagonist, Othello, indirectly. Sympathising with Iago and later with Desdemona’s father, the audience could be quite resentful towards him and Shakespeare reinforces that by calling Othello ‘his Moorship’. Throughout the speech, Othello is not spoken of by his real name, denying him of some status and humanity, instead ‘his Moorship’ or ‘the Moor’ are used. ‘His’ and ‘the’ create derogatory indifference to who he is, and ‘Moor’ describes African tribe races who would be dark skinned, its reference to the theme of appearance and reality would make the Jacobean audience very suspicious as who would be acting Othello’s coloured role.
Iago sustains his presence on set with another speech as Roderigo prompts him. Shakespeare now properly introduces the audience to Iago’s manipulative fashion. Iago’s ‘O! Sir’ to Roderigo turns the roles around, making Roderigo feel superior and more inclined to follow Iago as he is so flattered by the unusual way in which he is being spoken to. However, Iago is in control. Shakespeare plays to his audience, who would be mainly servants, through Iago stressing he only follows Othello, his master, ‘to serve my turn upon him’. Mystery surrounds this ‘turn’ and keeps the audience interested, as it is a lead to Othello’s end. Iago’s villainous character is shown by the influence of people who ‘have lin’d their coats’ through using other people, these people should ‘do themselves homage’ as Iago believes them to be more dignified and have real ‘soul’ because they can feign loyalty, ‘visages of duty’. His arrogant self-regard is shown, as he believes to be one himself ‘such a one I profess myself’. It shows he is a self-serving deceiver, following Othello for his own advantage and revenge for all the wrong he has suffered, not material reward. Forswearing virtues like love and duty, he proves to be the villain. To harm Othello it will be necessary for Iago to pretend fidelity to him, just as he is here, friendship, to Roderigo. The metaphoric image of him ‘wearing his heart on his sleeve’, where his feeling are plain to see is dramatic irony used, as the audience, by now, know he is superficial and playing a role. Add the crucial quotation ‘I am not what I am’, the epitaph of the play, Iago has made it clear he is pure deception and hides behind an image of his on creation. The caesura before it indicates to an important relevation and the repetition of ‘I’ enforces Iago’s self centredness but also his split personality to the audience. Following this relevation of malice, Shakespeare enforces it by Roderigo calling Othello ‘the thick lips’. This racist insult is proof of the hatred for Othello and a punch line to Iago’s ‘I am not what I am’, as in Jacobean times, Negroes were associated with evil and would have been the stereotypical villains, but appearances deceive.
The pair then find themselves outside Brabantio’s house; whether Iago has steered Roderigo in this direction or finding they are there by chance, Iago seizes the opportunity to stir up trouble and takes the first step to achieving his objective when he persuades Roderigo to rise Brabantio against Othello. The audience is captivated as to what Roderigo will announce and Desdemona’s father reaction to it.
Underneath Brabantio’s balcony, Roderigo is hesitant to disturb the quiet street. Looking to Iago for approval, he is given simple instructions to ‘yell as when…the fire is spied in populous cities’. Iago’s evil is blatantly shown by not caring of the emotions he is implicating in his hate fuelled revenge and when Roderigo’s efforts of waking Brabantio are not sufficient, Iago takes over with a more compelling cry ‘Awake, what ho! Brabantio! Thieves! Thieves! Thieves!' The repetition of thieves is an indication of Othello, a black man, stealing Desdemona, as if it was against her will. Once Brabantio is woken, Roderigo acts politely with oblique questions as well as calling him ‘signior’, trying to make a good impression on the father of the woman he loves. Again, seeing that Roderigo is ineffective in rousing Brabantio’s temper, Iago tells Brabantio to dress himself ‘for shame’, careful to imply that it is a matter of public as well as private interest. Iago knows that this will have an effect on Brabantio, as it is not the loss of his daughter in itself that will distress him, so much the humiliation his loss will bring. Shakespeare uses hyperbole, colour symbolism and animal imagery to rise Brabantio to fury over his daughter’s elopement. The repetition of ‘now’ an ‘old black ram is tupping your white ewe’ offends Brabantio, as no father would want to think of his daughter in a sexual way. The vulgarity of the language makes it sound as bad as it can, Othello’s powerful physicality taking advantage of the virginal, vulnerable daughter. The colour symbolism of black against white is reference to appearances and what things seems to be and the comparison of Othello to an animal or even the ‘devil’ show the racist, derogatory attitudes and how quickly they determined social stereotypes in that time. The irony is obvious to the audience as, though Iago is accusing Othello of being the devil, he himself is behaving with devilish intent. Brabantio, upon realising Roderigo is at his balcony, informs the audience that he has already denied Roderigo as a potential suitor, ‘my daughter is not for thee’, this shows the position of women at that time, they lived in a patriarchal society, where their father chose for them. Roderigo continues and there is some irony and hypocrisy in Iago’s complaint that Brabantio has judged them to be a pair of ‘ruffians’ and will therefore not listen to what they have to say; Iago is speaking against prejudice at the same time as he fuels it. His exasperation is also reflected in his use of prose; the passage reads very bluntly to match what he is saying as well as baiting Brabantio. The change in speech also shows Iago putting on a different role and a split personality so the audience are always suspicious of who he “is” and what he is going to do next. Iago, judging what it will take to enrage Brabantio, adds further powerful sexual images the ones he has already used. The reference to the ‘Barbary horse’ (from North Africa) points again to his assumption that Othello’s blackness will matter enormously to Brabantio. The degrading reference to him being a horse, i.e. a certain breeding, and the possibility of social humiliation with his family being uneducated, foreigners without a place in Venetian hierarchy; ‘nephews neigh’, ‘coursers for cousins’ and ‘gennets for germans’ would passionately anger Brabantio. The rhyme is almost child-like and adds to the mockery Iago is making of Brabantio. The neglect of the direct naming of Othello on Iago’s part is dramatically important. Because Brabantio seems so uncomprehending, Iago can continue to curse Othello’s so-called corrupted nature and, thereby, reveal to the audience the depth of his (Iago’s) own immorality and make Brabantio even angrier.
Iago’s brazen assertions are finally effective and Brabantio, now fully attentive to what is being said, describes this occurrence as ‘not unlike my dream’. Dreams and omens of this sort were common in literature of this time and creates the sense that fate somehow will conclude the events that are to follow, adding suspense. As Brabantio moves into action, ‘call up my people’, preparing a search party, Iago slyly exits but not before explaining his reasons for doing so. It must be made clear to the audience that Iago himself is Othello’s enemy and if Iago’s schemes are to be successful, he must outwardly ‘show out a flag and sign of love, which is indeed but a sign’ to prove his respect and devotion to Othello, so in turn he can manipulate Othello’s trust in him. Yet he still has complete authority of the situation as he informs Roderigo of Othello and Desdemona’s whereabouts, ‘surely find him, lead to the Sagittary’. This relevation sets the next scene for the audience, through some inclination of confrontation; they are kept absorbed in their expectations of the future scenes. Iago using shorter sentences, creating a sense of urgency
also creates apprehension. This final speech by Iago before he leaves strengthens the theme of reality and demeanour within the play, the opposition between public and private roles, which is admired by Iago. How he can hate Othello with a passion but being conscious of the fact he is a warrior and is publicly devoted to Othello.
In addition to this speech reminding us of Iago’s treachery, it also serves to inform the audience of Othello’s significance to Venice. Othello, in Act 2, is seen as superior public figure that the Venetian State depends on for its safety. Iago’s comment that ‘another of his fathom they have none to lead their business’ implies Othello is a man of high position and honour, therefore contradicting the barbaric beast Iago has depicted him as to Brabantio. The audience is now eager to meet Othello on stage.
Brabantio enters below in a disturbed state of mind. Fragmented discourse and utterances of how his daughter could deceive him so lead him to ask Roderigo for more information. Brabantio is torn between making heated accusations about how daughters cannot be trusted and seeking an explanation for how his daughter could have behaved like this. He thinks she may have been subject to ‘charms’ (Othello’s black magic), this creates intrigue as to what really happened to Desdemona. Iago predicted precisely what Roderigo would do and as planned, Brabantio is led to the Sagittary Inn. In accord with the Venetian hierarchy settings and the subject of appearances, Brabantio’s attitude changes dramatically towards Roderigo according to how much he need his help. This is noted by Shakespeare through Brabantio’s manner of speech towards Roderigo progresses from ‘The worser welcome!’ to the threatening ‘I know thee, Roderigo’ to the petty ‘O that you had had her’; Roderigo had before just been a pest in his demand for Desdemona’s love but now Brabantio is acknowledging him as ‘good Roderigo’, asking him why his daughter and him were never together.
The opening scene centres on Iago with Shakespeare using dramatic irony. Roderigo is unable to see a man, who openly admits to being selfish and fake, taking advantage of his wealth and Brabantio is unaware of the crafty line, ‘Thou art a villain’, and what it implies; revealing himself through the scene and manipulating others fascinates the audience. The contradictory views of Othello intrigues the audience as he has been frequently insulted but they are also told that the moor is a highly regarded soldier by the Venetian senate. Othello’s “oddness” is established through references to him as ‘the moor’ or ‘the thicklips’ introduces the theme of deception as well as Roderigo initially believing Iago had deceived him; Desdemona deceiving her father by mrrying secretly; and Iago’s intentions to deceive Othello in form of revenge. Trust and jealousy interlace with this key theme with Iago jealous of Cassio, Roderigo jealous of Othello, Brabantio eventually trusting Roderigo, who trusts Iago etc… Finally, references to a greater conflict, the invasion of Cyprus, accompany the different opening and ending disputes of Act 1 Scene 1.