Othello - Act 1 Scene1

Visual component

 

Iago and Roderigo are in front of Brabantio's house.

http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Theater/artifact/26447/


Summary
The Othello begins with an argument between Iago and Roderigo, the suitor of Desdemona. After Iago knows that Desdemona has just married Othello, a general who Iago serves as an ensign, he becomes angry and tells Roderigo that he hates Othello. Even through Iago gets the support from "three great ones" of the city, Othello still promotes Cassio, who has no experience in battle, to his lieutenant. Iago and Roderigo go to the street outside of the house of Brabantio, Desdemona's father, crying that Brabantio's daughter is stolen by "thieves" and having sex with Othello. At first Brabantio thinks it's just Roderigp's trick but then he believes in Iago's inflammatory words and gets angry. Iago goes back to Othello to see the success of his plan. Brabantio and his men follow Roderigo to Othello.

Character Development
In act 1 scene1, the most important character is Iago who is the ensign of Othello and who hates Othello because Othello does not promote him to be lieutenant and Othello married Desdemona who Iago loves. Iago is deceitful, shown by "Call up her father. Rouse him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the street;"(1.1.74-76) Iago advises Roderigo to rouse Desdemona's family in order to create conflict and destroy Othello's marriage, “Awake! What ho, Brabantio! Thieves, thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! Thieves, thieves!” (1.1.86-88). He is very jealous with Othello for having Desdemona's love and is a racist,“Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe” (1.1.97-101). Iago tries to make a bad impression on Brabantio's mind about Othello so that he can easily raise conflict between them. In order to further provoke Brabantio's anger, he uses very uncivilized words to describe that: "the Moor are now making the beast with two backs" (1.1.130). By this way, he could make use of Brabantio's anger to destroy Othello's marriage in order to achieve his own purpose of revenging Othello. Iago is a dangerous character. He pretends to serve Othello and seeks opportunities to take revenge, "I follow him to serve my turn upon him."(1.1.45). From here, we can see the dark side of Iago's character and Iago's presence would be a risk to Othello's life. Iago is a very interesting character that promotes the development of the plot.


Interesting Question

Q: Will Roderido and Iago have a real relationship later on?

As: They will not have a real relationship later on because they are rivals in love. They both love Desdemona. They might have a relationship in way of using each other for their own purposes since they have a common enemy in love, Othello.