However, as the first scene progresses the tone and implications of Iago’s speech become darker and more menacing, as he reveals that ‘I follow [Othello] to serve my turn upon him’. The audience becomes aware of the fact that Iago may not be who he is first perceived to be as they heed to Iago’s plainly spoken warning, ‘I am not what I am’. Indeed, as the first act unfolds Iago begins to reveal the malevolence of his character and his deep hatred for Othello, ‘Now sir, be judge yourself/ Whether I in any just term am affined/ To love the Moor’.
Iago’s intrigues are carefully planned and expertly performed so that no characters within the play can see what he is doing. His insight into the behaviour of others allows him to adapt to the personality of whomever he is with. However, there is no doubt that Iago is a skilled actor, for he is able to successfully present a contrary appearance and get away with it. The outward show that Iago gives Othello in act I scene ii is rather different to the Iago which the audience has previously seen, for he portrays the image of an honest, brave and loyal soldier when he challenges Roderigo, ‘You, Roderigo? Come, sir, I am for you’, protecting the General whom he earlier revealed that he had such resentment for. Iago is clearly two-faced and so ironically in act I scene ii he pays reference to the two-faced Roman god Janus.
Thus, in just the first two scenes Shakespeare introduces the complex character of Iago. Also introduced are the racial issues and themes within the play. Iago’s hatred of Othello is heightened by the colour of Othello’s skin. Throughout act I scene I, Iago and Roderigo refer to Othello not by name, but by such aggressive and offensive terms as ‘black ram’, ‘Barbary horse’ and ‘thick lips’. It may be suggested that these names are simply as a result of Iago’s contempt for Othello and the influence he has over Roderigo and not racially related. However, when Roderigo refers to Othello as ‘the thick lips’, he is singling out one prominent characteristic that highlights Othello’s black heritage, and displays a racial distrust of Othello based on his colour. Othello is a foreigner and he is constantly aware of this, despite his strength and pride, and this may be the reason why he is such easy prey for Iago.
From the outset of the play, Othello is an outsider. For the entire first scene Othello is absent from the action and instead the audience is introduced to the character of Othello through Iago and Roderigo. Therefore, throughout the first scene the audience anticipates the arrival of Othello as an unsympathetic character. However, the introduction of Othello makes an unexpected impact on the audience, for they are presented with an extremely calm character that is a powerful and skilled soldier and leader, and is valuable and necessary to the state. Othello’s first line is typical of his character, “’Tis better as it is.” This half line is very effective in its brevity, making each short word effective and meaningful. In Othello’s next speech the audience experiences for the first time the rich and passionate conversation that is unmistakably Othello’s throughout the play, woven with many open vowel sounds and a faultless control of syntax. By not introducing Othello until the second scene, Shakespeare has effectively created a certain mystery that surrounds him and the poetic language and vibrant imagery of Othello’s speech intensifies this image of him.
Thus, the first two scenes of Othello are highly effective, setting the stage for the entire play by revealing the time, place and background of the plot in the most subtle ways and the complex characters of Iago and Othello are successfully introduced. Therefore the first two scenes create an extremely effective foundation for the action and complexities of the remainder of the play.
