Othello 1.1 Flashcards
summary
The play opens as Iago is telling Roderigo that he hates Othello because Othello has promoted Cassio to be his lieutenant instead of him, even though Cassio ‘never set a squadron in the field’ and has much less experience. Iago tells Roderigo ‘I follow him to serve my turn upon him’. The two men stand outside Brabantio’s house and shout to wake him up. From the shadows, they tell him about his daughter’s secret marriage to Othello. Iago makes Brabantio angry by describing Othello and Desdemona as ‘making the beast with two backs’ and uses other sexual animal imagery. Brabantio doesn’t recognise them at first but eventually sees Roderigo and the scene ends with Roderigo offering to help Brabantio find the married couple to ‘apprehend her and the Moor’.
“Abhor me” “Despise me” -Iago
Iago immediately portrays his true nature to the audience, literally telling them in his very first line that they should hate him, however he masks this in long speeches. Highlights he shouldn’t be trusted, but audience doesn’t realise.
Cassio-
“a Florentine”
“a fellow almost damned in fair wife”
“never set a squadron in the field”
“mere prattle without practice in all his soldiership”
Tripartie of insults.
A Florentine is supposed to be feminine - insulting the the Jacobean period.
Suggests Cassio is adulterous and can’t be trusted - ironic - or that he cannot control his wife.
No experience of knowledge of battle. Alliteration of plosive ‘p’ sound highlights Iago’s anger and frustration at Cassio’s promotion.
“To love the Moor”
Othering, don’t mention his name at all throughout first scene.
Suggests he is a malcontent villain, justifies his hatred for Othello and implies he needs revenge for Cassio being promoted over him (for academia and sucking up)
“I follow him to serve my turn upon him”
Malcontent villain. Makes it clear he is pretending to be loyal to Othello in order to get revenge.
“I am not what I am” - Iago
Once again tells audience he is not what he seems - dishonest and deceptive, but masked again.
“Call up her father.Rouse him, make after him, poison his delight… Plague him with flies” -Iago
Imperative verbs highlights how Iago is in control, manipulating Roderigo.
Biblical imagery - this news of Desdemona’s marriage is bringing a curse to Brabantio.
Thieves, thieves, thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!” -Iago
Creates panic.
Echoes contextual idea that women are possessions that can be owned and stolen, undermines Desdemona’s relationship with Othello
“Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe!” - Iago
Binary opposites of white and black - Othello represents evil and the Devil, whereas Desdemona is pure and delicate. Suggests that they shouldn’t be together and that an interracial relationship is wrong. Desdemona is also described in animal terms, indicating that the men do not think of her as an equal human being.
Crude and animalistic way to say they’re having sex, dehumanises Othello and makes Desdemona seem vulnerable.Uses prejudice as a tool to manipulate Brabantio, describing Othello as an animaland sex with Desdoma as bestial. Iago also makes use of the fact that Brabantio will feel his manly honor challenged by his daughter’s having sex.
“What tells’t thou me of robbing? This is Venice: My house is not a grange.” - Brabantio
Setting - Venice is a city of justice, where Othello thrives, crime is surprising. Contrasts Cyprus, more barren like a grange and represents downfall.
“Because we come to you to do you
service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you’ll have your nephews neigh to you… and jennets for Germans” - Iago
Iago challenges Brabantio and perpetuates ideas of hatred for Othello - animalistic presentation by comparing him to an African horse.
‘Jennets’ are Spanish, contextually hated in Jacobean England.
“Your fair daughter… to the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor.” -Roderigo
Paints Othello as animalistic, someone who has entrapped Othello and now won’t let her go. Only cares about sex, undermines their relationship; not truly in love.
“It is too true an evil… O treason of the blood!” -Brabantio
Desdemona has gone against what she should do, should not marry without father’s permission (property) and inter-racial couple.
“Thou art a villain.” - Brabantio
Directed at Iago- multiple hints about Iago’s true nature throughout the whole of the scene.
