Summary of Act 1 Scene 1:
1. Iago hates Othello because he has promoted Cassio ahead of him.
2. Roderigo is obsessed with Desdemona.
3. Desdemona marries Othello without her father’s permission.
4. Brabantio is enraged both by his daughters disobedience and her choice of husband.
5. Othello is a valued military general but is still an outsider in Venice nonetheless.
Key aspects of this scene:
Scene set at night. Usually Shakespeare does this to add a sense of mystery- characters are
secluded under the darkness of night. Immoral, corrupt and manipulative behaviour often
takes place at night.
Play begins in medias res- mid conversation, already happening off stage.
Dramatic irony as Roderigo trusts Iago, yet audience figure our early that this trust is
misplaced.
The purpose of this opening scene is to establish the characters. It hints towards the
personal and political conflict that will develop as the play unfolds.
We see the views of Renaissance society towards women and race. The rigid class structure
is established and there is a clear chain of command.
Iago’s motivations and anger:
Iago had expected to be promoted to the rank of Othello's first lieutenant and tells Roderigo
that three influential Venetians ("Three great ones of the city"), in fact, had recommended
him to Othello. He clearly believes he is deserving of power and influence.
‘I am worth no worse a place’- shows he believes he should be where Cassio is in terms of
the military hierarchy. He believes he has been marginalized by the promotion process.
‘I have already chose my officer’- Iago quotes Othello directly- this means that Othello’s first
words are actually spoken by Iago. This is indicative of the role that language will play in
Iago’s later manipulation of Othello.
Othello chose Cassio to be his lieutenant, instead of him. Iago believes he has much more
experience on the battlefield than Cassio, who is instead an ‘arithmetician’ who even a
‘spinster’ would know more than. His military ineptitude is an insult to Iago's proven
superiority on the battlefield.
When Iago calls Cassio a "spinster," he is questioning Cassio's manhood, while also implying
that just as real men know how to fight, real women know how to have sex. A spinster is an
old, unmarried woman who has no experience of sex, just as the military theorist Cassio has
no experience of battle.
Cassio, the newly appointed lieutenant, is not only a poor soldier, but not even a Venetian-
instead he is a ‘Florentine’, which is a damning epithet condemning the city's reputation as
being a collection of financiers and bookkeepers.
The theme of appearance and reality:
This opening scene sets forth the key elements of the tragedy's conflict: It reveals Iago's
deep resentment toward Othello.
, Iago will continue to appear to "serve" Othello so that eventually he can "serve [his] turn
upon him" (42). He is motivated by revenge, yet audience get a sense that his depth of
hatred requires a motivation more compelling than having been passed over for this
promotion. Hinted that his racial attitudes molds his relationship with Othello. Iago
dehumanizes Othello, using animal imagery and failing to even name him- instead referred
to as ‘the Moor’: in Iago’s eyes it is his race that defines his perception of him. Further
xenophobic comments: ‘Old black ram’ ‘Barbary horse’ ‘Beast with two backs.’
Iago promises his loyalty to Othello on the surface, but in reality his hatred for him
consumes him. This scene sets Iago up as a self-seeking, malicious individual who will use
every device in order to attain his "peculiar end" (60).
Iago seems to be questioning the hierarchy that society is built upon, and there is a
philosophical tone for his speech- eg ‘we cannot all be masters’, ‘nor all masters cannot be
truly followed.’
Iago is presented as a self serving deceiver, and egotistical as he does not believe he should
follow his supposed ‘masters.’
His character us reminiscent of the cynical malcontent- a character who is always unhappy
and angry for no specific reason. this is evident from that fact that he despises ‘honest
knaves.’ He despises men who wear their hearts on their sleeves and other 'honest knaves'
who fail to look after their own interests. He admires men who can exploit their masters and
line their own pockets by pretending to be honest and trustworthy. His energetic speeches
are full of egotistical disgust and indignation. When he speaks to Brabantio we learn that
Iago also delights in making trouble.
Analyse this key quote:
‘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 follows Othello not out of “love” or “duty,” but because he feels he can exploit and dupe
his master if he proves his (false) loyalty.
Only pretending to follow him, as he is motivated by his alter motived. He seems unworried
about his actions on earth as only God can judge his behaviour. This reference hints that
Iago is to be a character that will act not based on morals but on impulse.
Iago doesn’t seem to care for what society/ the Venetians think of him- believes only God
has the right to pass judgement.
Iago finds that people who are what they seem are foolish. The day he decides to
demonstrate outwardly what he feels inwardly, Iago explains, will be the day he makes
himself most vulnerable: “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at.” His
implication, of course, is that such a day will never come.
Iago’s use of language:
Iago is persuasive and self-confident, especially considering he it talking to the powerful
Brabantio. He forces his own interpretations of events onto him and gets the result he
wanted- an angry father, appalled by what he hears.
Iago speaks in an emotive manner and uses brass/coarse/sexual language.
1. Iago hates Othello because he has promoted Cassio ahead of him.
2. Roderigo is obsessed with Desdemona.
3. Desdemona marries Othello without her father’s permission.
4. Brabantio is enraged both by his daughters disobedience and her choice of husband.
5. Othello is a valued military general but is still an outsider in Venice nonetheless.
Key aspects of this scene:
Scene set at night. Usually Shakespeare does this to add a sense of mystery- characters are
secluded under the darkness of night. Immoral, corrupt and manipulative behaviour often
takes place at night.
Play begins in medias res- mid conversation, already happening off stage.
Dramatic irony as Roderigo trusts Iago, yet audience figure our early that this trust is
misplaced.
The purpose of this opening scene is to establish the characters. It hints towards the
personal and political conflict that will develop as the play unfolds.
We see the views of Renaissance society towards women and race. The rigid class structure
is established and there is a clear chain of command.
Iago’s motivations and anger:
Iago had expected to be promoted to the rank of Othello's first lieutenant and tells Roderigo
that three influential Venetians ("Three great ones of the city"), in fact, had recommended
him to Othello. He clearly believes he is deserving of power and influence.
‘I am worth no worse a place’- shows he believes he should be where Cassio is in terms of
the military hierarchy. He believes he has been marginalized by the promotion process.
‘I have already chose my officer’- Iago quotes Othello directly- this means that Othello’s first
words are actually spoken by Iago. This is indicative of the role that language will play in
Iago’s later manipulation of Othello.
Othello chose Cassio to be his lieutenant, instead of him. Iago believes he has much more
experience on the battlefield than Cassio, who is instead an ‘arithmetician’ who even a
‘spinster’ would know more than. His military ineptitude is an insult to Iago's proven
superiority on the battlefield.
When Iago calls Cassio a "spinster," he is questioning Cassio's manhood, while also implying
that just as real men know how to fight, real women know how to have sex. A spinster is an
old, unmarried woman who has no experience of sex, just as the military theorist Cassio has
no experience of battle.
Cassio, the newly appointed lieutenant, is not only a poor soldier, but not even a Venetian-
instead he is a ‘Florentine’, which is a damning epithet condemning the city's reputation as
being a collection of financiers and bookkeepers.
The theme of appearance and reality:
This opening scene sets forth the key elements of the tragedy's conflict: It reveals Iago's
deep resentment toward Othello.
, Iago will continue to appear to "serve" Othello so that eventually he can "serve [his] turn
upon him" (42). He is motivated by revenge, yet audience get a sense that his depth of
hatred requires a motivation more compelling than having been passed over for this
promotion. Hinted that his racial attitudes molds his relationship with Othello. Iago
dehumanizes Othello, using animal imagery and failing to even name him- instead referred
to as ‘the Moor’: in Iago’s eyes it is his race that defines his perception of him. Further
xenophobic comments: ‘Old black ram’ ‘Barbary horse’ ‘Beast with two backs.’
Iago promises his loyalty to Othello on the surface, but in reality his hatred for him
consumes him. This scene sets Iago up as a self-seeking, malicious individual who will use
every device in order to attain his "peculiar end" (60).
Iago seems to be questioning the hierarchy that society is built upon, and there is a
philosophical tone for his speech- eg ‘we cannot all be masters’, ‘nor all masters cannot be
truly followed.’
Iago is presented as a self serving deceiver, and egotistical as he does not believe he should
follow his supposed ‘masters.’
His character us reminiscent of the cynical malcontent- a character who is always unhappy
and angry for no specific reason. this is evident from that fact that he despises ‘honest
knaves.’ He despises men who wear their hearts on their sleeves and other 'honest knaves'
who fail to look after their own interests. He admires men who can exploit their masters and
line their own pockets by pretending to be honest and trustworthy. His energetic speeches
are full of egotistical disgust and indignation. When he speaks to Brabantio we learn that
Iago also delights in making trouble.
Analyse this key quote:
‘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 follows Othello not out of “love” or “duty,” but because he feels he can exploit and dupe
his master if he proves his (false) loyalty.
Only pretending to follow him, as he is motivated by his alter motived. He seems unworried
about his actions on earth as only God can judge his behaviour. This reference hints that
Iago is to be a character that will act not based on morals but on impulse.
Iago doesn’t seem to care for what society/ the Venetians think of him- believes only God
has the right to pass judgement.
Iago finds that people who are what they seem are foolish. The day he decides to
demonstrate outwardly what he feels inwardly, Iago explains, will be the day he makes
himself most vulnerable: “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at.” His
implication, of course, is that such a day will never come.
Iago’s use of language:
Iago is persuasive and self-confident, especially considering he it talking to the powerful
Brabantio. He forces his own interpretations of events onto him and gets the result he
wanted- an angry father, appalled by what he hears.
Iago speaks in an emotive manner and uses brass/coarse/sexual language.
