Othello- Act 1 Summary

Summary:
Scene 1:
-​ Othello begins on a street in Venice, in the midst of an argument between Roderigo and Iago
-​ The rich Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him win over Desdemona’s hand in marriage but
there hasn’t been progress and Roderigo has just found out that O and D are married and he is
therefore infuriated
-​ Roderigo dislikes Othello for this
-​ Iago despises Othello as he promoted Cassio over him in the army
-​ He is infuriated that the position he sought after has been given to a man with no experience in
leading men in battle
-​ In the middle of the night, outside Brobantio’s house they scream at him and alert him that his
daughter has married a “moor”
-​ Brabantio angrily summons the military to arrest Othello
-​ Brabantio wakes the neighbours and begins a search party
-​ Iago informs Roderigo that he is going to pretend he is on Othello’s side
-​ Iago speaks in inflammatory terms, vulgarly telling the senator that his daughter and Othello are
having sex
-​ B accuses O of magic as he can’t fathom over the idea that his daughter married a moor
-​ Roderigo that it is in his (Iago's) nature to plot and tell lies to get what he wants and that he has a
plan
Scene 2:
-​ The kniving Iago arrives to warn Othello that Brabantio knows about his marriage to Desdemona
and warns him that Brabantio is coming for him
-​ Iago reinforces to Othello how respected and noble Brabantio is
-​ But Othello is certain that his military accomplishments won’t be overshadowed
-​ During this scene, Cassio and officers from the Venetian court approach and inform Othello that
he is wanted by the Duke of Venice about a matter concerning Cyprus which Venice controls
-​ Initially, Iago thought it was Brabantio approaching so he brings Othello inside a lodge
-​ As Cassio and his men prepare to leave, Iago mentions to Cassio that Othello is married, but
before he can say any more, Brabantio, Roderigo, and Brabantio’s men arrive to accost Othello.
-​ Calmly and authoritatively, Othello instructs both sides to put down their swords
-​ B lashes out and says there is no way D fell for O unless he was drugged or taken
-​ B calls for O’s arrest and imprisonment but it doesn’t happen because the Duke summons an
emergency meeting
Scene 3:
-​ The duke’s meeting with his senators about the imminent Turkish invasion of Cyprus takes an
unexpected turn when a sailor arrives and announces that the Turks seem to have turned toward
Rhodes, another island controlled by Venice
-​ One of the senators guesses that the Turks’ change of course is intended to mislead the Venetians,
because Cyprus is more important to the Turks and far more vulnerable than Rhodes
-​ This guess proves to be correct, as another messenger arrives to report that the Turks have joined
with more forces and are heading back toward Cyprus
-​ The meeting is interrupted as B, C, I, R, O and officers arrive

, -​ B demands that all state business be put aside to address his own grievance: his daughter has been
stolen from him by spells and potions
-​ The duke is initially eager to take B’s side, but he becomes more sceptical when he learns that
Othello is the man accused
-​ The duke wants to hear Othello out
-​ O wants to tell the story of how they fell in love but B accuses and insults him
-​ Othello admits that he married Desdemona, but he denies having used magic to woo her and
claims that Desdemona will support his story
-​ He explains that Brabantio frequently invited him to his house and questioned him about his
remarkable life story, full of harrowing battles, travels outside the civilised world, and dramatic
reversals of fortune
-​ Desdemona overheard parts of the story and found a convenient time to ask Othello to retell it to
her
-​ Desdemona was moved to love Othello by his story
-​ The duke asks for D so she may speak
-​ Desdemona enters, and Brabantio asks her to tell those present to whom she owes the most
obedience
-​ Brabantio clearly expects her to say her father
-​ Desdemona, however, confirms that she married Othello of her own free will and that, like her
own mother before her, she must shift her primary loyalty from father to husband and thanks her
father for her upbringing
-​ Brabantio reluctantly resigns himself to her decision and allows the court to return to state affairs
-​ Othello must go immediately to Cyprus to command its defence, and Desdemona requests to go
as well
-​ The Duke grants her wish, and Othello, who must leave that night, delegates Iago to follow later
in another ship, bringing Desdemona and whatever else is needed
-​ Iago's wife, Emilia, will look after Desdemona as her maid
-​ I and R are left on stage and R speaks of drowning himself
-​ Iago mocks Roderigo for threatening to drown himself, and Roderigo protests that he can’t help
being tormented by love
-​ Iago contradicts him, asserting that people can choose at will what they want to be
-​ When Roderigo leaves, Iago delivers his first soliloquy, declaring his hatred for Othello and his
suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia
-​ He lays out his plan to cheat Roderigo out of his money, to convince Othello that Cassio has slept
with Desdemona, and to use Othello’s honest and unsuspecting nature to bring him to his demise

Quotes:
-​ “Making the beast with two backs”
➔​ imagery of them having sex
➔​ plosives give of a harsh tone
-​ “The thick lips”
-​ “An old black ram is tupping your white ewe”
➔​ Zoomorphic language is used