Othello by William Shakespeare (pg. 7-27)

Othello by William Shakespeare (Act 1 Scenes 1 and 2, pg. 7-27)

Summary: Othello opens with a very dramatic scene, in which the main characters and their basic motives are introduced. Roderigo, a wealthy Italian suitor, speaks to Iago, a military personnel, about his increasingly bleak love interests with Desdemona. Roderigo expresses his dismay in paying Iago, who promised to help Roderigo win over Desdemona, since he discovers that Desdemona and Othello (the general of the Italian military) have just gotten secretly married. Iago in turn expresses his dislike of Othello as well, since he resents Othello’s decision to promote Michael Cassio over him to the position of lieutenant. Then, Iago plays on Roderigo’s desperateness and tells him that to threaten Othello and Desdemona’s relationship, he should confront Desdemona’s father before he finds out about his daughter’s marriage and tell him that Othello had seduced his daughter. Sure enough, Roderigo and Iago carry out with the plan, and Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, believes them and becomes infuriated at Othello. Act 1 Scene 2 closes with Brabantio confronting Othello and expressing his demands for Othello to go to prison for his actions.

Unfamiliar Vocabulary:
Bombast: high-sounding language with little meaning
Epithet: a descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned
Forsooth: indeed
Spinster: a (typically older) unmarried woman
Obsequious: obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
Provender: food OR animal fodder
Timorous: showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or lack of confidence
Promulgate: to put a law or decree into effect by official proclamation OR to promote or make widely known
Grange: a house in the country (implying that it is easily robbed)
Saucy: impudent, insincere
Lascivious: feeling or revealing an overt and often offensive sexual desire
Iniquity: immoral or grossly unfair behavior
Carrack: a large merchant ship
Palpable: able to be touched or felt OR clear to the mind or plain to see

Critical Analysis:
In the first few scenes of Othello, Shakespeare artfully introduces the characters and their personality traits. I would like to take this opportunity to synopsize the information presented directly and indirectly about each of the main characters of Othello, Iago, Brabantio, and Roderigo.

Othello: Othello is the protagonist of the play. He is sometimes referred to as a “Moor”; therefore the reader can assume he is black. He is the general of the army, and is a highly respected figure in society. This is reflected in the language he uses, as it is always noble and eloquent.

Iago: Iago is at this point the instigator of conflict. He is in a sense a mastermind, as he was the one who effectively played on the emotions of a foolish Roderigo, incited Desdemona’s father against Othello, yet is still regarded to as “Honest Iago”.

Brabantio: Brabantio is Desdemona’s father a senator. Upon finding out that his daughter and friend Othello were married without his knowledge, he is offended and struck by disbelief, and therefore jumps to premature conclusions offered by Iago and Roderigo.

Roderigo: Roderigo is a desperate young suitor in love with a married Desdemona. He is portrayed as having lots of money, signifying that he may have substantial means to achieve his goals. Also, he does not seem to be the brightest, so he may be used as a tool as shown in the first scene in which he was easily persuaded by Iago to do his bidding.

Interesting quotes explained…

“Call up her father. Rouse him. Make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen, and, though he in a fertile climate dwell, plague him with flies. Though that his joy be joy, yet throw such chances of vexation on ‘t as it may lose some color” (11).

This is a quote spoken by Iago telling Roderigo what he must do to win over Desdemona. The grotesque imagery reflects the morality of the suggested action, as Iago plots to lie and pit two friends against each other.

“By Janus, I think no” (23).

Iago says this in response to being asked by Othello if the approaching company was Brabantio. Janus in mythology was the god of the door, and was known to always look forward and back at the same time: to be two faced. This is ironic in the sense that it reflects Iago’s personality.
“Faith, he tonight hath boarded a land carrack” (23).

Iago says in reference to Othello marrying Desdemona; he suggests that Desdemona is the “carrack”, or treasure ship, and he has boarded it, implying that he is a pirate and thief taking what is not rightfully his.

“For if such actions may have bondage free, bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be” (27).

Act 1 Scene 2 closes with this quote spoken by Brabantio. This reflects the common ideology at the time, as many still thought of the “Great Chain of Being”, in which certain classes of people as well as animals and even inanimate objects had a certain hierarchal ranking that was not to be disturbed. Brabantio is suggesting that if Othello may get away with his allegedly dishonest actions, disorder and absurdity will surface.