Act One, Scene One Flashcards
Enter Roderigo and Iago
> no prologue; introduced to characters through speech
en medias res - dispute; point of conflict = hook
audience only gradually form understanding of characters/ situation
R: Iago, who hast had my purse
> accusing Iago of stealing his money
betrayal of trust between friends
evident Roderigo is angry with Iago - audience do not understand reason until later in scene (Desdemona)
I: S’blood
> God’s name in vain - blasphemy
R: Thou told me thou didst hold him in thy hate
> you told me you hated him - key moment
Iago skilfully deflects Roderigo’s anger onto Othello - façade of being united in common cause
I: I know my price, I am worth no worse a place
> Iago = working class hero
Iago’s grievances given initial prominence - central importance to ensuing tragic action
Iago’s perspective first
I: A great arithmetician
I: A Florentine
I: Knows more than a spinster
I: (Othello’s) eyes had seen the proof
> Othello picks a foreigner, theoretician with no battle experience over Iago
worse that a spinster - shameful, derogatory
Iago’s status as a misogynist
I: His Moorship’s ancient
> first reference to race - only called this throughout scene
ancient = flagbearer; insulting position
I: Preferment goes by letter and affection
> system follows favouritism
Iago should have got the job by rights/ most suited
theme of betrayal
first impressions of Othello derive from Iago
I: I follow him to serve my turn upon him
> so he can take advantage; intends to incite violence
Iago role (antagonist or protagonist) unclear
I: Wears out his time […] For naught but provender
> slaves waste time being loyal to be rewarded only with food/ necessities until death
cynical sense of malcontent
I: I am not what I am
> Iago self-serving
appearance vs reality
act outwardly one way, internally he is different
too risky to reveal his true self/ intentions
evil characterised by disjunction between outward appearance and inward reality
view Iago with sceptism
I: Plague him with flies
> emotional imperatives - control over R
determined to ruin
I: an old black ram is tupping your white ewe
> dehumanisation
crude, sexualised
aim to mortify Brabantio
Iago doesn’t understand relationships
unflattering portrait of Othello emerges
R: My name is Roderigo
> Iago ensures himself out of sight - blamed pinned on Roderigo
insufficiently forthright; no influence over Brabantio
B: I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors
> his daughter will never marry Roderigo
reveals he has asked before
B: This is Venice. My house is not a grange
> information for audience - impressions change
Venice = multicultural, civilised
I: Barbary horse
I: coursers for cousins
I: the devil will make a grandsire of you
I: making the beast with two backs
> Iago dialogue changes from blank verse to prose >wants message to land >acts as a disguise to manipulate his content - emotionally intelligent
vile, shocking images
Barbary = area of North Africa
bestial imagery - calculated, plays on fears of ‘interbreeding’
deliberate emotional impact
human sex as a copulation of animals - defilement of Brabantio’s daughter’s purity
humorous to a degree
I: You are a Senator
> Brabantio will lose status if he does not act
I: To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor
> sibilance - acute annunciation
Othello = lustful, untrustworthy
B: This accident is not unlike my dream
> prophetic imagery - supernatural will/ fate beneath the surface
I: Farewell, for I must leave you
> typical Machiavellian villain - created carnage, now walks away
B: He’s embarked with such loud reason to the Cyprus wars
> private vs public conflict
I: Though I do hate him as I do hell pains
> still has to show love despite hating him - deception, pretence
Enter Brabantio in his nightgown, with Servants and Torches
> public expulsion - fire = devil manhunt
allegory - brings light to the stage
