othello essay act 1

Amy Smith Literature

Written in 1603, The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s most ambiguous plays. The protagonist is a travelling mercenary, hired by the Venetian establishment to help protect the borders of Europe from military threats. After eloping with Desdemona, a beautiful Venetian heiress, Othello succumbs to Iago’s suggestions that his new wife is unfaithful. Maddened by jealousy, Othello strangles Desdemona in their marriage bed, before turning his sword upon himself.

In this play, Shakespeare explores what it means to be an outsider in a prejudiced society, as both the tragic hero and victim attempt to challenge the established beliefs around race and gender.

“Othello”: unmissable quotations (part 2)

“Othello”: unmissable quotations (part 1)

Minor Characters in “Othello”: Brabantio

Minor Characters in “Othello”: Is Bianca simply a plot device?

Othello’s Handkerchief: An Overly Symbolic Object?

Scene by scene videos and summaries.

This is the first of a series of videos which take you through the play, scene by scene. To watch the full series, go to YouTube and search for the Doccy Smith channel. I recommend making a Cornell note-taking sheet for each video that you watch, making sure that you are actively reducing the ideas to key points. At the bottom of this page you can download scene by scene summaries, which accompany the videos.

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Part 1: The Ultimate ‘Othello’ Cheatsheet | Year 11 English

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Do you need more help with Othello? Either way, in our ultimate Othello cheatsheet, we’ll provide an essential summary of the text, a breakdown of the key characters, the context you need to know, and a detailed analysis of the play’s themes.

Table of contents:

• Othello Summary
• Main characters in Othello
• Othello’s context
• key themes in Othello 

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To write about Othello , you have to understand what’s happening in Othello. So, let’s get you up to speed.

What’s the plot?

Othello, a Moorish general, promotes Cassio to a lieutenant position instead of his friend Iago. Shortly after, Othello marries Desdemona – a senator’s daughter – in secret. Fuelled with anger, Iago attempts to get back at Othello by manipulating him, and nearly everyone else in the drama to get what he wants.

First, he tries to ensure Othello is arrested and punished for his secret marriage. When that fails, Iago feeds seeds of doubt to Othello about his wife’s, Desdemona’s, infidelity. This makes Othello go crazy with jealousy, leading him to murder his wife and himself.

Ultimately, Iago’s manipulative scheme is exposed and he is arrested. Cassio is then appointed as the island’s governor, the position Othello had coveted.

Now, let’s go through each act in a bit more detail so you don’t miss out on any juicy plots and sub-plots!

The play opens with an argument between Roderigo and Iago about Othello’s secret marriage with Desdemona. Roderigo has been attempting to pursue Desdemona with Iago’s help. Upon hearing the news, Roderigo isn’t happy.

To further complicate things, Othello recently promoted Cassio to a lieutenant position instead of Iago leading him to hold a grudge against Othello. As such, the two decide to expose Othello and Desdemona’s secret marriage to Desdemona’s father, Brabantio.

Fuelled by rage and betrayal, Brabantio brings the secret lovers to court in front of the Duke. He accuses Othello of using witchcraft to woo his daughter. However, the couple claims that it was Othello’s stories of his heroic adventures that ultimately won Desdemona. The Duke is sympathetic to the couple.

Hearing this, Brabantio disowns Desdemona. Desdemona leaves with Othello to Cyprus ( see context below ) for his military duties.

At Cyprus, Iago convinces that Roderigo that he still has a chance of winning Desdemona. Iago lies and claims that Desdemona is actually in love with Cassio, not Othello.

Consequently, Iago gets Cassio drunk, giving Roderigo a chance to duel with Cassio. During the fight, Cassio accidentally stabs the governor, Montano.

Hearing the news, Othello strips Cassio’s position as lieutenant, putting Iago’s plan in place.

Iago takes this chance to convince Cassio to talk to Desdemona, claiming that she can help talk Othello into giving Cassio his position again.

Cassio follows Iago’s instructions and receives Desdemona’s promise to help. Meanwhile, Iago begins to plant seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind about Desdemona’s infidelity.

Iago and Othello walk into Cassio and Desdemona’s conversation. Feeling awkward, Cassio leaves. Iago suggests that there might be something going on between them, which causes Othello to become suspicious.

To further this, Iago encourages his wife, Emilia, to steal Desdemona’s handkerchief without providing her with any reasons. The handkerchief is red with strawberries; a gift from Othello when they first started courting. It became a sign of their love and relationship.

Knowing this, Iago plants the handkerchief in Cassio’s bedroom.

Later, when Desdemona asks Othello to reconsider Cassio’s demotion, Othello finds out that she ‘lost’ her handkerchief. This sends him into a spiral of jealousy and rage.

Here, Othello finds more and more ‘evidence’ of Desdemona’s infidelity.

Cassio finds the red handkerchief in his room and questions where it came from. He asks his mistress, Bianca, to copy the embroidery. At the same time, Iago ‘coincidentally’ leads Othello to Cassio and Bianca’s conversation. Othello sees Desdemona’s handkerchief, and has an epileptic fit.

He is convinced that Desdemona’s cheating on him.

Gutted and enraged, he is ready to kill both Cassio and Desdemona.

When he returns home that night, Othello accuses Desdemona of infidelity. Both Desdemona and Emilia protest for Desdemona’s innocence. However, Othello simply believes that Desdemona must be so cunning that she even tricked her maiden.

After supper, Desdemona has a premonition of her death. She tells Emilia that she doesn’t regret her marriage.

That night, Roderigo tells Cassio that he doesn’t want to pursue Desdemona anymore. However, Iago convinces him to kill Cassio as this is his chance to step up and woo Desdemona.

Roderigo attempts to stab Cassio in an ambush but misses. Instead, Roderigo is stabbed by Cassio. Iago steps in and wounds Cassio. Cassio screams, leading Othello to think that Iago has killed Cassio.

Now, Othello enters his bedroom and sees Desdemona peacefully sleeping. She wakes up to see Othello and calls him to bed. He refuses and instead, tells her to pray. Desdemona knows that she will be killed. She begs him to spare her life as she’s innocent, but Othello smothers her with a pillow, refusing to listen.

As this is happening, Emilia runs to their room to announce Roderigo’s death. Desdemona wakes for a second and claims that she committed suicide to protect Othello. She dies again.

Emilia is shocked and confronts Othello. Othello confesses himself and claims that he killed Desdemona for infidelity based on Iago’s claims. Emilia realises that her husband lied to Othello and orchestrated these events.

Emilia attempts to expose Iago when he enters the room with other men. Iago confesses and kills Emilia to shut her up.

Othello realises that he murdered his innocent wife and kills himself out of guilt.

The guards capture Iago and send him to prison. Cassio is promoted to governor of the Island.

Back to Table of Contents

Main characters

We know that remembering all the characters can get confusing sometimes. To help you remember, here’s a quick reference list:

Shakespeare’s society was significantly different from ours today. As such, it’s important that you know their context to better understand why the text was written the way it was written.

1. King James I of England (James VI of Scotland)

Shakespeare’s  Othello  was written in the year of Queen Elizabeth’s death (March, 1603). However, it is believed to have been written for James I, a keen scholar of Moorish cultural and military history. It was first performed in the Jacobean Era after King James I took the throne.

This is why  Othello is often regarded as a Jacobean play.

2. Venice-Ottoman conflict – Christianity vs Islam

The conflict between European Catholics and the Ottoman Empire (known as Turkey today) has existed for centuries before Shakespeare’s time. From the 11th century to the 15th, Catholics and the Ottoman Empire fought to control Cyprus, Spain, and other eastern Mediterranean countries.

Although Cyprus was already part of the Ottoman Empire during Shakespeare’s time (1564 – 1616), the play was set in an earlier context where Cyprus has not yet been conquered.

Cyprus is a small island off of the Greece coast. In the late 1400s, a Venetian woman married the King of Cyprus, James II. When the King died, she abdicated her throne, allowing Cyprus to become a part of Venice.

The Venetians used the Cyprus land to attack the Ottomans, and the Ottomans attempted to conquer Cyprus. This was the setting of  Othello .

Although this conflict subsided during Shakespeare’s time, the Venetian’s and Ottoman’s (also referred to as Moors) hatred for each other did not. So, Shakespeare’s audience will still relate to this contextual setting.

Moor is a name used by the European Christians to describe Northern African-Muslim people of the Berber (African ethnic group) and Arab people.

For a while, Europe maintained trade with Northern Africa and even involved themselves in the slave trade. This also. meant that African peoples were enslaved and brought to Europe for the slave trade.

However, due to the European-Ottoman conflict, the Europeans still held great prejudice against people of Moorish descent, even long after the conflict was over.

This is partly what led Queen Elizabeth to issue a racist proclamation to deport Moors from England in 1596. The African workers refused to leave, leading her to issue another proclamation in 1601. Queen Elizabeth also saw the local distrust of these foreign workers and leveraged fear of that to appear stronger as a ruler by cracking down on them.

This racist attitude towards the Moors can be clearly seen in  Othello , with the racist remarks made against Othello (like “ Black ram “) and his alienation and mistreatment (eg. Brabantio accusing Othello of using ‘black magic’ to woo his daughter because she can’t possibly fall in love with a Black man).

4. Religion: Determinism and fate

Europe during the 15-16th century was highly Christian and pre-deterministic. Their societal structure was also very hierarchical, with the Queen/King on top, and peasants on the bottom rank.

They believed in determinism and  fate ; the idea that people are born with a set-out plan by God.

This meant that they believe that people are innately good or evil and that people do not have free will and cannot have ambition.

For instance, Iago is represented as evil as Shakespeare often refers him as the devil. On the other hand, Desdemona is portrayed as a pure woman, linked to goodness.

5. Religion: Great Chain of Being and Natural Order

They also believe in the  Great Chain of Being ,   natural order and  retribution .

The Great Chain of Being is a hierarchy created by God to ensure social order. It begins with Gods on top, followed by angels, humans, animals, plants, and then non-living animals.

Chaos will ensue if the Natural Order is not held.

In simple terms, people cannot challenge God’s will, whether it is attempting to scale one’s rank in society, disobeying the King/Queen (representatives of God), or attempting to take fate into their own hands.

If they disobey God’s plan, they will suffer retribution.

For example, if we look at this through the lens of Othello:

• Iago challenges God’s will by attempting to move up military ranks.
• As such, chaos ensues from his actions; Othello, Roderigo, Desdemona, and Emilia all die, and Cassio loses his military rank.
• God fixes this by exposing and arresting Iago and promoting Cassio to a higher military rank.

The natural order is reset.

6. Patriarchal society

During Shakespeare’s time, women were viewed as the property of their father, and the property of their husband’s.

Women were seen as objects and possessions.

Marriage was a transaction between the father and the husband, where the woman is the object being passed. Fathers tend to arrange marriages for their daughters.

As such, if a woman marries without her father’s permission, it was seen as theft. This was why it was so controversial that Othello and Desdemona married in secret.

We see Brabantio refer to Othello many times as a thief for stealing his daughter.

“ Down with him, thief! ” and “ O thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my daughter? ” – Brabantio (Act 1, Scene 2).

Women were also expected to be subservient and submissive to their fathers and husbands. They cannot question men’s authority and cannot be independent.

However, in  Othello,  the women he portrays are stronger, observant, intelligent, and less subservient. They realise their role in society and are able to step away from this expectation.

For instance, when Emilia realises Iago’s schemes, she relinquishes her duties as his husband by exposing him: ‘ Tis proper I obey him, but not now ‘.

Emilia also gave a speech about how women and men are ultimately the same:

‘ Let husbands know, Their wives have sense like them; they see and smell, And have their palates both for sweet and sour As husbands have ’ – Act 4, Scene 3

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The themes of Othello

You need to be confident with the themes in  Othello to ensure that you can approach any essay or discursive question thrown at you!

Here are the themes we’re going to get you on top of:

• Racism and prejudice
• Appearance vs reality – manipulation

1. Jealousy

Jealousy is one of the main drivers of the conflict in  Othello . Shakespeare explores the detrimental effects of jealousy and how it can drive people insane.

 “ Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock ” – Iago, Act 3, Scene 3

Firstly, Iago gets jealous that Cassio got promoted instead of himself. This causes Iago to scheme his way to his promotion, leading to numerous deaths and ruined relationships.

Secondly, Iago takes advantage of Othello’s jealousy to put his plans into place. Although Othello claims that he needs ‘ocular proof’ of Desdemona’s infidelity, he settles for circumstantial evidence when he sees Cassio with Desdemona’s handkerchief.

This causes him to become the ‘green eyed monster’ itself, fuelled by rage and jealousy. Othello’s jealousy ultimately led to Desdemona’s and his own death.

Thirdly, Roderigo is jealous that Othello managed to woo Desdemona instead of himself. As such, Roderigo willingly follows Iago’s plans to destroy Othello… which leads to his own death.

Quotes on Jealousy:

“ O, beware, my lord of jealousy; It is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on .” – Iago, Act 3, Scene 3

• Iago warns Othello to be aware of jealousy, meanwhile attempting to make Othello jealous. This demonstrates his two-facedness.
• The personification of jealousy as the ‘green-eyed monster’ becomes a motif throughout the play.
• The metaphor is especially memorable as it is a paradox – it “mocks the meat it feeds on”. That is, it taunts the the thing it consumes.

“The Moor’s already changes with my poison; Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons, Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, But with a little act upon the blood Burn like the mines of Sulphur .” – Iago, Act 3, Scene 3

• Iago realises that Othello has taken the bait; he has poisoned Othello’s mind with doubt and jealousy.
• ‘Sulphur’ is a biblical allusion to hell. The everlasting flames of hell is made by burning sulphur in the brimstone (‘fire and brimstone’). This not only characterises Iago as the devil, but also likens jealousy to the devil’s weapon.
• This continues the motif of demonic language and allusions

“ But jealous souls will not be answered so; They are not ever jealous for the cause, But jealous for they are jealous: ‘tis a monster Begot upon itself, born on itself .” – Emilia, Act 3, Scene 4

• Emilia claims that jealous people can no longer think logically because they are consumed by the monster of jealousy
• The motif of the jealous monster returns – it portrays jealousy as a demon’s work.

2. Racism and prejudice

Othello is discriminated against and mistreated because of his race. Throughout the play, the other characters call him derogatory terms like “black ram”, “thick lips”, and “Barbary horse”.

Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, even accused Othello of using black magic for wooing his daughter because it is unnatural for a Venetian woman to love a black man.

“ It is a judgment maimed and most imperfect / That will confess perfection so could err / Against all rules of nature ” – Brabantio, Act 1, Scene 3

Furthermore, even if other characters respect Othello for his military actions, they still think blackness is a negative thing. For instance, the Duke tells Brabantio that Othello is more White than Black. So, Brabantio doesn’t need to worry about Desdemona marrying Othello:

“ And, noble  / signior, /  If virtue no delighted beauty lack, /  Your son-in-law is far more fair than black. ” – the Duke, Act 1, Scene 3

We see that throughout the play, Othello also internalises these racist views. He regards himself as an outsider and less than human because of his race.

For example, once Othello realises that he wrongly murdered Desdemona, he likens himself to a “base Judean”.

“ Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away / Richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdued eyes, “

This includes an implicit reference to the Indian caste system, the notion that some are implicitly lower than others. With this reference, Othello is once again degrading himself because of his skin colour.

Quotes on racism and prejudice:

“ Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe… Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you: ” – Iago, Act 1, Scene 1

• Iago announces to Brabantio that Othello is sleeping with his daughter, Desdemona.
• Throughout the play, “animal” and “devil” are used to refer to Othello. This represents how Black people were seen as barbaric, savages, animal-like, and devil-like.

“ Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her! For I’ll refer me to all things of sense, If she in chains of magic were not bound, Whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy, So opposite to marriage that she shunned The wealthy curlèd darlings of our nation, Would ever have, t’ incur a general mock, Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom Of such a thing as thou—to fear, not to delight. ” – Brabantio, Act 1, Scene 2

• Brabantio claims that Othello has bewitched his daughter into marriage, claiming that it’s impossible a Venetian woman would want to leave her “guardage” to marry a “sooty bosom”
• The references to enchantments and dark magic connote that Othello is a pagan because of his dark skin (Remember, Shakespeare’s time is highly religious. So, they thought that those who participated in dark magic and witchcraft worshipped the Devil)

“ Haply, for I am black And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have, or for I am declined Into the vale of years ” – Act 3, Scene 3

• Othello’s internalised racism is revealed here too. He claims that Desdemona must’ve run off with another man because he is black and doesn’t have nice manners like other courtiers do.

3. Appearance vs reality – manipulation

Many of the issues that unfolded in the drama were because people were misled and manipulated. There is a very thin line between appearance and reality, and Iago took advantage of this.

Throughout the text, Iago portrays himself as Othello’s trusted friend. However, behind this persona, Iago is pulling all the strings to make Othello (falsely) think that his wife is cheating on him with Cassio.

For instance, Iago stages the whole handkerchief situation to spark the ‘jealous monster’ within Othello. He manipulates his wife, Emilia, to steal the handkerchief from Desdemona, and plants it in Cassio’s room. Iago then deliberately leads Othello to witness the interaction between Cassio and Bianca, putting his plan in place.

Shakespeare creates a stage within a stage.

That’s not all, Iago also tricks Roderigo to stab Cassio in order to win Desdemona… leading to Roderigo’s own death. And, Iago tricks Brabantio to

In summary, Iago is the machiavellian who manipulates everyone to make things go his way.

Appearance vs reality quotes

“ Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me For making him egregiously an ass, And practising upon his peace and quiet Even to madness. ‘Tis here, but yet confused. Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used. ” – Iago

• Throughout the play, Iago’s soliloquies expose Iago’s true plans. Here he wants Othello to think that he is a true friend, even though in reality, he is not.
• As such, Iago’s soliloquies foreshadow the upcoming events.

“ 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. ” – Iago, Act 1, Scene 1

• Iago wants to take advantage of Brabantio’s racist attitudes to rile him against Othello and Desdemona’s marriage.
• Here, the sanguinary language characterises Iago as evil. It likens him to a rotten person: “poison”, “plagued” with “flies”

“ Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners. ” – Iago, Act 1, Scene 3

• Iago is the master manipulator.
• The metaphor here shows that Iago believes that he is in charge of his own destiny; he believes in free will, not God’s fate.

“ Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word. ” – Iago, Act 5, Scene 2

• At the end of the play, when Iago is exposed, Othello asks Iago why did what he did (i.e. manipulate everyone, and cause everyone to die). However, Iago never gives an answer.
• Shakespeare is taking the appearance vs reality idea to the next level. When Iago refuses to give Othello an answer, Iago is refusing to give us an answer as well. This means that we’re also hidden from the truth.

4. Women and gender

Women in Shakespeare’s time were seen as mere property, not individuals. ( See context above )

Men either overlooked women’s opinions (eg. Brabantio taking his daughter to court for marrying Othello) or they viewed them as unfaithful and impure even when they aren’t guilty (eg. Othello seeing Desdemona as disloyal, and everyone viewing Bianca being an adulteress)! This was a period when honour killings – murdering a woman because she had been unfaithful were still somewhat acceptable

However, Shakespeare challenges this by giving them important roles in the play.

For instance, Emilia is seen as the token of truth in the play. She exposes Iago, and even presents a whole speech about the inequality between men and women in society. Meanwhile, Desdemona stands up against her father in court and claims her love for Othello.

Women quotes:

IAGO She did deceive her father, marrying you, And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks, She loved them most.

OTHELLO And so she did.  – Act 3, Scene 3

• Iago tells Othello that if a woman is willing to disobey her father, then she can easily disobey her husband. Othello agrees, highlighting the innate sexist views of the Shakespearean society
• Here, you can see Madonna-Whore dichotomy. It is an idea that women are either pure and good or a ‘whore’. Desdemona is made out to be a whore in this instance.

“ Oh, devil, devil! If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears, Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile. Out of my sight! ” – Othello, Act 4 Scene 1

• Othello slaps Desdemona and questions her fidelity, calling her a devil.
• We might view Othello as the victim of the play. However, Desdemona is the victim of the play. She was wrongly framed and suffered the consequences of it.

“ Let husbands know Their wives have sense like them. They see and smell And have their palates both for sweet and sour, As husbands have. What is it that they do When they change us for others? Is it sport? I think it is. And doth affection breed it? I think it doth. Is ‘t frailty that thus errs? It is so too. And have not we affections, Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have? Then let them use us well. Else let them know, The ills we do, their ills instruct us so. ” – Emilia Act 4, Scene 3

• Emilia gives a speech to Desdemona about the inequalities between men and women. Similar to the  Merchant of Venice’s “Hath not a Jew” speech, Emilia raises that “wives have sense like them”, that they “see and smell”, have  “palates for sweet and sour” like their husbands.
• This highlights the inequality between women and men. However, it also highlights Emilia’s intelligence and power.
• Shakespeare uses Emilia as the speaker of the truth.

Want to learn how to analyse  Othello for different English modules?

Read our Part 2: How to analyse  Othello for Different Year 11 English Modules now.

Written by Matrix English Team

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            What is revealed to the audience in Act 1 of the play Othello?. Discuss its importance for the rest of the play? .              In the play Othello, the first Act serves as an introduction to the material of the whole play. Act 1 serves as an essential set up for the central characters of the play. It is in the first Act of the play where first impressions are made of characters and their relation to each other. First impressions of characters lie externally, as the play progresses the audience learns of the internal qualities of the characters and the deception conveyed throughout the play. The developments of the main characters fabricate the thematic aspects of the play. In the first Act of the tone of the play is determined through the themes initiated. The pivotal themes revealed are love, war, deception and betrayal. The sub text within these themes allow them to closely interweave, assisting in the plays multi- dimensional aspects. Plot is the third primary aspect that constitutes the importance of the first scene. It is through the plot that the audience gain direction of the play. Act 1 has great importance for the play, as it introduces the vital attributes of the play being characterization, plot and themes. .              The development of characters in the first Act of Othello proves vital for the rest of the play, as the nature of many of the characters alter as the play progresses. However, Act 1 leaves many charactrers unresolved and undeveloped. First impressions are made by appearance only in the first scene, as the characters aren't revealed internally. .              In the first Act of Othello many of the themes that colour the play are presented. As the play opens, the audience enters into a world evoked by night atmospheres, a quiet, mysterious, and dangerous world. Within this world are many of the themes that backbone the play. In the first Act Shakespeare introduces the juxtaposition of love and war, these are themes which are visible throughout the play.

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Essays Related to Act 1 Othello

1. analysis of othello and iago in act 1.

The events that occur in the first half of Act 1 are all in anticipation of the lead character Othello who we are not immediately introduced too. ... Iago then associates Othello with the image of "the devil" (1.1.92) because of Othello's color, Iago warns Brabantio that he has "lost half [his] soul" now that Desdemona is married to Othello. ... Despite the negative foregrounding of Othello's character by Iago, our first impressions of Othello in Act 1 are of a noble and well-spoken man, his nobility is conveyed through his speech "most potent grave and reverend signiors"(1.3.7...

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2. William Shakespeare's Othello - Important Notes and Quotes

Act 1, Scene 1 Line 20-34 - Reasons Why Iago Hates Othello Iago tells Roderigo that he knows his well enough to know that he deserved the position of lieutenant, however Othello had already chosen Cassio , a Florentine, who has no more knowledge on warfare than an old lady and has absolutely no experience in battle while Iago is just his ancient. ... Act 1, Scene 2 Line 18-19 - Why Othello Will Not be Heavily Punished Iago tells Othello that Brabantio who is at a status almost as powerful as the Duke, knows that he and Desdemona have married and because he is furious he will try to annul the m...

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3. Othello Themes

Throughout Othello there are many themes. ... An example of his jealousy is Iago saying, "Three great ones of the city, in personal suit to make me his lieutenant, off capp"d to him, and by the faith of man I know my price, I am worth no worse a place" (act 1 scene 1). ... Especially when Othello says, "hang her!" And " I will chop her into messes" (act 3 scene 4). ... (Act 3 scene4). ...

• Word Count: 606
• Approx Pages: 2

4. The Honorable Love of Othello and Desdemona

" (Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 3 Lines 166-168). ... " (Shakespeare Act 3 Scene 3 Lines 75-76). ... " (Shakespeare Act 5 Scene 2 Lines 0-17). ... My heart's subdued" (Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 3 Lines 243-45). ... " (Shakespeare Act 3 Scene 4 Lines 76). ...

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5. Discuss the portrayal of the character Othello in act 1

In the play "Othello", just by reading Act 1, scenes 1&2 we already have very mixed opinions of the character Othello. ... In general, in the whole of Act 1 Scene 1, Othello is portrayed as lustful, black beastly "moor" who has used witchcraft and charms to marry Desdemona- Brabantio's white daughter. However when we meet Othello in Act 1 Scene 2 we are caused to question the impressions established beforehand, as the Othello we see here is almost definitely very different to the "lascivious moor" described previously. ... In Scene 1, it is worth noticing that throughout, a distinctly unf...

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6. shakespeare

In Act 1, Scene 1, lines 41-65, Iago makes a confession to his "friend" Rodegrio. ... (Act 1, Scene 1, Line71). ... Iago makes another important and revealing speech in Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 272-299. ... Iago's says, "For that I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leaped into my seat" (Act 2, Scene 1, Line 283). ... Finally, in Act 3, Scene 3, Lines 169-174, Iago addresses the issue of jealousy. ...

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7. Questions and Responses on Shakespeare's Othello

Question 1. ... Iago always insults Othello because of his being Moor: "If she had been blest, she would never loved the Moor" (Act II, Scene I). ... " (Othello, Scene III, Act I). ... He also hates Othello: "I hate the Moor; 'Has done my office; I know not if't true; But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for surety" (Act 1, Scene III. The long speech before Act II). ...

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8. Desdemona in Shakespeare's Othello

In Act 1, Shakespeare presents the reader with the antagonist of the play, Iago. ... Othello knows he shouldn't act without proof, but he sides with evil and accused Desdemona of being a whore. Othello now believes that Desdemona is no longer in love with him. ... Othello also struggles with his inner evil when he killed Desdemona. ... These are examples of how Othello lost to his inner evil. ...

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9. Jealousy Themes in Othello

The main character Shakespeare presents in Othello to display the theme of jealousy is Othello himself and the impact jealousy has on him. ... The first description of the jealousy soon to be planted on Othello is by Iago in Act 1 scene 3. ... This monstrous birth is again refer to by Othello at the beginning of act 3 scene 3 as Othello becomes suspicious of Iago's rumors, questioning whether there is "some monster in thy (Iago's) thought too hideous to be shown." ... In the fourth scene of Act 3 Desdemona is mildly distressed about the loss of her handkerchief but explains to Emilia...

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The Significance of Act 5, Scene 1 in ‘Othello’ Maximilian Frederick Joseph Figgett

The first scene of Othello’s fifth act, unlike those before it, is dominated by physical violence, with Iago at the centre playing the “puppet master”. This scene reminds the audience of the capabilities Iago possesses in controlling the more malleable characters, namely Roderigo. Shakespeare also builds on the theme of proof with regard to his protagonist, who, satisfied with his “ocular proof”, is confronted now with aural proof – Cassio’s screams, which ‘allow’ him to attempt to end Desdemona’s life. It is widely perceived that the beginning of this act shows Shakespeare departing from the intellectual schemes and techniques common to pre-Renaissance theatre; he turns here toward more medieval ‘action-scenes,’ intentional regression that draws the audience gradually toward the climax. This scene is one of rapid transition: no longer are Iago’s words just empty threats, they are now coming swiftly to fruition.

In the first dialogue between Iago and Roderigo, the audience sees a return to the early, perhaps more ‘innocent’, stages of the play. There, we now realize Shakespeare’s ‘villain’ planted the seeds for this moment in Roderigo’s “love-stricken” mind. The conversation now has a more sinister connotation; take, for...

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Othello: The Dramatic Impact Of Act 1 Scene 3 And Its Importance To The Play As A Whole Analysis

‘Othello’ is a classic play written by William Shakespeare in the 17th century. The play is about evil, betrayal, trust and demonstrates the society of the time.

It also has a classic tragic ending much like ‘Romeo and Juliet’. The main character is Othello, the only black character in the play. Desdemona, a white woman, gives up her family for her love for Othello. It seemed that the ‘noble moor’ had a perfect marriage.

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This perfect marriage and bond however is destroyed by Iago’s deception and trickery.Iago’s motives are that he wants revenge on Othello promoting Cassio over himself and through planting the seeds of suspicion into the moors mind his marriage dies and in its place jealousy and anger grows to the point of death. Iago is a deceiving, untrustworthy and evil character in the play. As a result of Iago’s evil, not only Othello’s but also other innocent lives are lost.

Act 1 scene 3 opens with the Duke and the Senators in council, they are in a very important meeting about their enemy the “Turks”. The first stage direction in Act 1 Scene 3 is ‘set at a table with lights’.These candle lights are an indication that it is night time because during Shakespeare’s time his plays were all preformed live on stage during the day and the only way to indicate to the audience that it was night was to display a candle to show the absence of light. The Duke and the Senators are worried about the number of Turkish galleys and where they are heading.

The number of Turkish ships is not clear because the senator believes there are a ‘hundred and seven galleys’; on the other hand the Duke thinks there’s ‘a hundred and forty’.The Duke and the Senators receive contradictory reports. The destination of the ships approaching has also not been confirmed. A sailor then enters an says: “The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes” However the Duke knows that the Turkish are trying to create a diversion in order to draw the attention away from Cyprus and says: “Nay, in all confidence he’s not for Rhodes” He also notifies the senators that it is a trick the Turkish are trying to play so that their attack would be a surprise.

The fact that the Duke realises this shows he is wise.This scene will also attract the attention of the audience because important people of the city are gathered around to talk about something important. The audience will listen carefully to their discussions. Suddenly there is a dramatic entrance of Brabantio and Othello.

The Duke greets Brabantio first “Welcome, gentle signor. ” However the Duke straight away concentrates on Othello, that they need to “employ” Othello “against the general enemy Ottoman. ” The comparison of how the Duke addresses Othello to Brabantio shows just how well Othello is regarded in Venetian society.The arrival of Brabantio is unexpected but the Duke asks for his “counsel” and “help”.

The dramatic irony in the play is that the audience know that Brabantio has been cursing Othello because of Othello marrying Brabantio’s daughter, Desdomona. The Senators and the Duke do not know this when Othello and Brabantio enter. Shakespeare gives dramatic impact to their entrance as Brabantio, Othello, Cassio, Iago, Roderigo and officers all enter at once. This rush of all the major characters attracts the attention of the audience, indicating to the audience that something important is about to happen.

Brabantio is referred to by name because he is a senator, therefore has a high position in society. The fact that Othello is referred to as the ‘Moor’ is a sign, which shows the racism of the time. ‘Moor’ is the word used to describe a black person from North Africa. When the first thing the Duke says is ‘Valiant Othello’ the immediate effect on the audience is that the Duke has a very high opinion of Othello.

This is also the first and only time someone calls Othello by his name. By analysing the first speech made by Brabantio I can see that he is a selfish person because he only cares about himself.He storms into an important meeting regarding the security of Venice, and tells the Duke about his own problems. He then goes on to say that Othello has corrupted Desdomona’s mind against him ‘by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks’.

Brabantio even goes to the extent of accusing Othello of using ‘witchcraft’ because Desdomona is ‘not deficient, blind, or lame of sense’ and without witchcraft it is not possible. This shows how much he doesn’t want the marriage of Othello and Desdomona to be accepted and wants the Duke to take some kind of action against Othello.After being accused of doing black magic and witchcraft on Brabantio’s daughter, Othello makes a very intellectual speech. Othello confirms what he has been accused of and justifies his actions.

He tells of how Desdemona fell in love with him, how the only magic he conjured was the tales of his life that he told her. Othello starts his speech to the Duke and senators with a three-part list: “Most potent, grave, and reverend seniors” This introduction to his speech shows Othello’s intelligence. I can see that Othello is a modest character by analysing the following sentence within his first reply to the accusations: ..

. Rude am I in my speech And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace, For since these arms of mine had seven years’ pith” Othello is not rude in his speech but says it anyway, which expresses his modesty to the audience. Alliteration is also comprised within this sentence because of the repetition of the ‘s’ sound.The use of sibilance also gives the audience a soft and peaceful feeling when they hear it.

Othello also echoes Brabantio’s words, which shows he has listened to everything that he’s been accused of and made mental notes, in order to prove Brabantio wrong: “… hat drugs, what charms, What conjuration and what mighty magic” Another technique Othello uses, which reassures the audience that he is a knowledgeable man is Othello’s use of iambic pentameters throughout his speech.

Shakespeare has made Othello’s speech calm, poetic, respectful and patient to portray Othello’s personality. In his speech the audience find out a lot about Othello’s life. What the audience learn about Othello’s life is that he was ‘taken by the insolent foe’ and sold into the slave trade in his ‘boyish days’, he escape and was a soldier for “seven years” and “nine moons. His pursuit as a soldier conducted him to many “battles and sieges”.

Brabantio fascinated by them use to invite Othello to hear the adventures he had been involved in. The importance of recounting Othello’s life to the audience and the rest of the play is that it tells them how his skills and experience are indispensable hence his role in capturing Cyprus is crucial. Desdemona “loved” Othello for his stories of his life and the “dangers” he “had passed” and in return Othello “loved her that she pity them”. In his travels Othello also met ‘cannibals’ and ‘Anthropophagi’.

Desdemona is brought in to authenticate this.When Brabantio says the Desdomona ‘feared to look on’ Othello, Othello may feel, angry and unaccepted in this society because of his skin colour. This implies that a black person in the eye’s of Brabantio cannot be loved by a white women, hence implying that Desdomona’s love for Othello is surreal. Brabantio goes onto say, that their relationship is ‘against the rules of nature’, which supports the stereotypical racism of the time.

This shows Brabantio’s racism and also demonstrates one of the key themes of racism in the play. Brabantio continues with his insults and says to trap Desdomona Othello used ‘mixtures powerful o’er the blood’.He is articulating that Othello could not win Desdomona therefore used witchcraft to ensnare Desdomona. Othello does not react like we would expect someone to when being abused so blatantly.

He keeps calm and asks for Desdomona. It is frightening to think that this stereotypical view of Black people still exists today, nearly 400 years after the play was written. Some people still have a particular view about black people having a connection with witchcraft, black magic, drugs and thieving and overall crime. When Iago goes to get Desdomona the audience would feel tense, because Iago has promised to bring down Othello.

Up to this point of the play, we know that Othello’s character is someone who is good with words. He is also a trusting character. An example of this would be the trust he has in Desdemona when he is willing to loose his life depending on what Desdemona has to say. For the first time in the play Shakespeare presents to the audience the Character of Desdemona.

The audience anticipate by the arrival of Desdemona, they are excited as to how she will act. Shakespeare shows that Desdemona is a very loving person.When Desdomona arrives Brabantio asks her: “Where most you owe obedience? She says that her duty is ‘divided’ because it is to her father and her husband, Othello. She then adds: “My life and education both do learn me How to respect you.

You are lord of all my duty” We see Desdemona say that she is “bound for life and education” to her father, despite this she chooses her “husband” over her “noble father,”: which is why she goes onto say: “… But here’s my husband; And so much duty as my mother showed To you, preferring you before her father.

” This means that she chooses Othello in the same way her mother had chosen Brabantio over her father.Her loyalty is now to Othello. Shakespeare shows us that her action is not so wrong, Brabantio’s wife chose him before her father, in return Desdemona chose her husband before her father, he should be more understanding as why Desdemona committed her actions. In other words he is a hypocrite as he cannot see his daughter do such a deed as he has done himself.

However he may not be angered by his daughter marrying in secret, but marrying a “moor,” (Brabantio was first fascinated by Othello and his background until Othello became too interested in his daughter).The audience are shown that Desdemona loves her “husband” very dearly ” That I did love the moor. ” She is not just affectionate to Othello but loyal as well, as when Othello is sent to Cyprus she asks to “go with him. ” Desdemona’s loving and loyalty is seen right to the end, she refuses to tell Emilia that Othello killed her since she does not want her love to suffer even when he killed her.

Shakespeare shows the audience how people who should love Desdemona and trust her the most continuously distrust her. First we see her father refusing to believe that his daughter could love a “moor” without him using magic.Towards the end we see Othello ignore her pleas of innocence of her having an affair. In this part Desdomona is in front of the Duke, respected senators and her father to declares her love for Othello and with this Brabantio disavows Desdemona.

This demonstrates that Desdomona is very brave, confidant, strong and also independent, despite her father’s attempts to control her. This supports another theme that, the role of women in the 17th century. Previously when Brabantio says: ” Ay to me She is abuse’d, stol’n from me, and Corrupted”Brabantio is making it sound as though something he owns has been stolen from him and that he is not talking about another human being, that is, his daughter. This supports the stereotypical view of women that still exists for some men to this current day, that is that women are the property of their father and they should marry who their father wants and stay in the home doing housework.

However after Desdomona makes her speech Brabantio knows that he cannot control her and says to everybody and especially Othello: “Come hither, Moor: I here do give thee that with all my heartWhich, but thou hast already, with all my heart I would keep from thee. For your sake, jewel, I am glad at soul I have no other child, For thy escape would teach me tyranny. ‘ In this he is tells Othello to come to him so that he could give Othello what he has already, Desdomona. He goes onto saying that he is glad he does not have any other children because then he doesn’t have to put up with this again.

The scene continues with the Duke and Brabantio, making speeches. Both of their speeches contain rhyming couplets. Nevertheless the Duke’s final speech is the most important.The tone of the speech changes from rhyming couplets to prose, which is an indication of the subject changing.

The Duke makes it clear that he has confidence in Othello, which is contradictory to the ending. Othello is used to maintain power in Cyprus at first but when this is done the Duke hands the charge over to Cassio. The only reasonable explanation as to why the Duke used Othello, despite his respect for him, is because him like the rest of the characters, he is racist. The Dukes last speeches for the day is: “You must hence tonight” ” At nine i’the morning” This is another clue that it is night time.

Shakespeare’s plays were performed on stage during the day, so the only way the audience knew whether it was during the day or night is by saying it in a speech or placing objects like candle and lanterns. These two statements also notify the audience that the next scene is going to be in Cyprus and night time will change to daytime. Just as the Duke is about to exit from the ‘courtroom’ the Duke says to Brabantio: “Your son-in-law is far more fair than black. ” This clarifies the Dukes racism previously mentioned because he is saying that Othello is more like white people than black people.

This scene seems much like a court room because it is almost as if Brabantio is the lawyer putting his argument to the Duke, who is like a Judge. Othello is the defendant protecting himself against the allegations made. They are also calling up witnesses, as you would do in a courtroom in order to justify their points. In this case the evidence supplied to the judge is by Desdemona.

She is called up and make her speech, while in a way being interrogated by Brabantio her father. Brabantio turns round to Othello and says: “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast yes to see: She has deceived her father and may deceive thee. Brabantio is saying that Desdomona deceived her own father and therefore may deceive him, Othello. This was to put doubts into Othello’s mind but Othello still says: “My life upon her faith! ” This shows that Othello trusts Desdemona, which completely changes when Iago puts lies into Othello’s head.

During the play the audience see that Othello is frequently referred by racial comments like “thick lips” and “sooty bosom. ” We even see the Duke making racist suggestions like “is far more fair than black. ” Not only the Duke, we see the love of Othello, Desdemona, use such language by calling Othello a “moor. What the audience might question is that, with all this racism going around doesn’t Othello notice what is happening or is he concealing his awareness of racism? The answer to this maybe he is very aware of this racist society that’s why he is very authoritative and controlling to suppress his feelings about racism and inability to cope with the truth.

The audience see that the suppression of Othello’s awareness of racism is important to the rest of the play because later in the play we see Othello being not that commanding. Is it because the racism was getting to him, his denial was backfiring?Ultimately did it lead to him killing Desdemona? The Duke advises Brabantio better to accept the truth than change nothing. Othello is ordered by the Duke to go to Cyprus; in addition Othello asks for Desdemona is to be with him on his journey, alongside with “honest” Iago. Shakespeare uses this scene as a device to send everyone off to Cyprus; Cyprus has been described as a “crucible;” cauldron where chemical impurities are heated and only pure elements are left afterwards.

The characters are the substance’s which are lit and heated up by the flame, Iago (Iago is the Devil incarnate.He does not do anything mystical but whispers to peoples mind and tells lies, similarly just like the devil. Iago, himself is pure evil, that’s why his insinuation are so powerful. It is people’s own morality that leads them to think and believe to what is injected in their minds.

) Shakespeare is sending everyone to Cyprus as a test to find themselves, to see whose faith is strong and who remains righteous and does not be led astray and be doomed to perish. “I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband;” In stating this she vindicates her action, she says, My mother showed to you, preferring you before her father,” Shakespeare’s Iago is one of Shakespeare’s most complex villains.At first glance Iago is pure evil.

During the play Iago uses carefully thought out words and actions which enable him to manipulate others and do things in a way which benefit him and move him closer to his goals. Iago is the main character in this play and directs the actions which push Othello and everyone else towards their tragic end. As you can see Iago is an ordinary villain. Iago wants to seek revenge on Othello because he wanted to become a lieutenant but Cassio is promoted instead.

Iago tells Roderigo that he should be lieutenant because he accomplished more than Cassio. Iago uses the word “the moor” and “I hate the moor” replacing Othello’s name, which show his hatred and racism. The role he plays is in a way is unique and complex. He is smart which is more than we expect; he is an expert judge and knows people very well and uses this as an advantage.

For example he knows that Roderigo is in love with Desdemona and knows that he would do anything to have her. Iago says to Roderigo “thus do I ever make my fool my purse” by playing with his hopes he is able to swindle money and jewels from him.Iago is a quick thinker, for example when Cassio takes hold of Desdemona’s hand just before the arrival of Othello, Iago says, “with a little a web as this will ensure as great a fly as Cassio”. His cunning make him a truly dastardly villain.

Thoughout the play Iago is called “honest Iago”. At one point in the play he even says this himself “I am a honest man”. Iago is a master of deceiving, during the play people rarely stop to consider the possibility that Iago is deceiving or manipulating them. But from the start he makes a fool out of Roderigo and takes advantage of him.

Roderigo remarks “that thou Iago, who hast my purse as if the string were thine”. From the beginning of page 43, Iago’s cruelty is shown when he says that he’ll ‘drown cats and blind puppies’. During the course of this page Iago mentions the word ‘money’ about 11 times in order to get the idea into Roderigo’s head. He also reassures Roderigo that Desdemona does not love Othello and that she is using Othello’s body for sex and after a while she will get bored and come to Roderigo.

“….

.. when she is sated with his body she Will find the error of her choice”Roderigo, like the fool Iago made him, is convinced by Iago’s explanation and decides to ‘sell all my land’. This is an example of Iago’s deceptiveness because later on the play Iago takes Roderigo to Cyprus and kills him.

Iago even says this in the beginning of his soliloquy: “My fool my purse” The speech consists of iambic pentameters, which shows his intelligence of honest Iago. “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse, For I mine own gained knowledge should profane.. ” In this scene Shakespeare reveals the true intentions of Iago, Shakespeare shows us the true villain.

It is in Act 1 scene 3, where Iago devises his wicked plan.Here we can see the mind of Iago. It is clear that he is driven by his motivation of jealousy; jealousy that Othello overlooks him and makes Cassio lieutenant instead of him, jealousy that Othello may have slept with his wife, “twixt my sheets He has done my office. ” It may be Iago is not that greatly concerned at his wife being unfaithful but the thought of her being with Othello disgusts him.

We learn that Iago is a hypocrite. While he is with Othello he is supporting him meanwhile behind his back he is plotting against him. In this speech Iago firstly says what he wants, that is, getting ‘his place’ which refers to Cassio’s position.We know that he is coming up with a plan because he says “How? How? Let’s see” because when someone is thinking up a plan they instinctively start questioning themselves and thinking aloud.

If I were to be the director and asked how should Iago act when saying this I would suggest that he be walking around the stage with one hand behind him and the other tapping his head. He should also frown with his eyebrows to give the impression that he is thinking of something extraordinarily evil. He should take his time when saying the speech and pause after saying every couple of words making sure that he has emphasised ‘his place’ and ‘How?How? Let me see’. In my opinion even though Iago admits that Cassio is a “proper man” and that “The moor is of a free and open nature”, I think that Iago has set out to destroy them because that they have more status than him and it almost sounds as though Iago in fact is jealous of them.

The fact that even though Othello is black he has managed to get a beautiful wife and a high position may be what Iago desires. Iago knows Othello’s weakness and tells it to the audience because it is a major factor in the success of his plan. “The Moor is of a free and open nature, That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,”Othello thinks that all men are honest and therefore he will believe Iago because Iago has convinced Othello of his loyalty. Iago’s final two lines are the most evil and dastardly of his sentences so far: ” Hell and night Must bring this monstrous birth top the world’s light” Iago ends with rhyming couplets to emphasize to the audience that he is going to do what he has just planned.

This is why the audience may be excited because they want to see whether it works or not. I feel that the end is very dramatic and final. It makes me hate and fear Iago even more because he has just planned to bring down two good, innocent and respected people.But I do admire his humour and cleverness because he is attempting to do something to benefit himself.

Shakespeare explores several other themes in Othello; we see how he portrays the roles of woman. Shakespeare shows the audience how woman are seen as possession’s, when Brabantio talks of his daughter being “stol’n” and the imagery of his daughter as his “jewel,” it shows the audience how they are classified as belongings of one in which they need to protect it (the harm which comes to Brabantio’s possession is Othello). Another theme, is racism and prejudice.Shakespeare shows the audience how racist the Venetian society is, they defined black people by “moor” and saw them as inferior species.

Shakespeare challenges prejudice of black people by making a “moor” a Venetian general. This adds more drama as it is a new concept which the audience are unfamiliar with. The themes of good and evil are looked upon in Othello. Shakespeare uses Evil (Iago) to test those who have faith (Desdemona) the contrast of good and evil outshine each other as evil seems more dominant hence it causes more mayhem as seen in the play.

What is so intriguing is that the issues raised are still relevant today in society; the racism, which we claim we are combating, is ever growing, when have we seen a western country have a black man as its prime minister? The roles of woman are still seen as possession as it is evident in the cultures of Asian society as men are seem more superior to women therefore they control them (own them). Evil still exists with us murders, war are a cause of evil, evil doings by the action of others.At the time of Shakespeare, the experience of theatre was hugely different to modern theatres. One obvious difference is the usage of props and special effects.

Shakespearean theatre used fewer. The audience at that time were quite restless at times so Shakespeare gradually opened the scene by stating the situation to get the audience attention then went slowly to the heart of the scene, when the attention of the audience is at full.This technique is seen in Othello when at the beginning of act 1 scene 3 Shakespeare tells the audience of the political situation then goes to the invasion of “Turks” the early part of the scene tells the audience what serious situation it is, it also prepares them to the importance of Othello to the play. The few props and effects meant that the actors had to tell the audience or show them if they were, for example in a church they would need to act as though they were praying as well as speak to the audience to show they are in a church.

The setting of Othello of the senate around a table showed the audience they were in council also the indication of the candles “light” told the audience it was night time. Shakespeare also used stage direction embedded in text in his plays. Shakespearean theatre were done out in the open so it was important for the audience to know the whereabouts of characters so the embedding of stage direction in the script help the audience to understand better. If a Shakespearean theatre was to be put up, it would be quite exciting as to experience why Shakespearean plays were so popular at that period even so why it is a success nowadays?It may be the direction of the play were so exquisitely done it seemed something more different than the usual, that’s why people went there to transfer themselves to a place far from everyday experience, as to its popularity nowadays it may be the language used is so rich one wonders at such beautiful language also its relevance from three hundred years to now how society hasn’t changed.

What would black and North African visitors to London mean to the Elizabethan? People would be mesmerise as they were not that used to those other than white. Othello was an object of interest and fascination.Even Brabantio was amazed by Othello and his life. As Black people were unfamiliar, people were prejudiced against them.

They were referred as lower class of people, however Shakespeare challenges this prejudice to the Elizabethan audience by making Othello, a “moor” a person of high status. In Elizabethan times Venice was a place of loose morals, where the balance of natural order was unstable, there was prostitution, murder, rape etc. This place was put to more stress, with the arrival of a being, who does not fit with this society because of his colour.What this conception adds to the Elizabethan is that “moors” are not part of society as they break the natural order (some may say Shakespeare to some extent was racist).

Venice can be in now society seen as the western world, where it is claiming to have democracy but in actual truth it is disintegrating and full of corruption “loose morals. ” In conclusion the play “Othello” is dramatically effective for the Elizabethan audience because the Elizabethan would not associate a black man as a “hero”, but with the personification of black people as evil and witchcraft which they commonly portrayed as.Othello is also effective on modern day audience’s as the relevance of the play are still important nowadays hence “Othello” is a dramatic success both in the past and present audiences. Is Othello to be blamed for his own fate? It may be Othello is not to be blamed, as he was a black man living in a white society, it was society which drove him to the wrong path, it was society who made him distinctively be seen different by racial comments, it was society which did not accept him as to be a part of its society.

Society did not let “Othello” live it ripped him apart and ultimately killed him. We can also examine “Othello” as a tragic hero. A tragic hero has a high status in society; he has a flaw, which inevitably kills him. Othello was a Venetian general; his tragic flaw would be jealousy, jealousy of his wife, which he suspects, with the insight of Iago that she is having an affair.

In this scene Shakespeare shows the theme of jealousy. We see Shakespeare show the jealousy of Iago envying Cassio.We also see how Othello is make easy of mistrust of Desdemona, fundamentally which does happen, the scene shows Othello’s inadequacy and insecurity. What Shakespeare shows us is how people function in society, in this society Shakespeare shows the effect of racism and how racist a society can be and the results of its action.

We see Othello towards the end of act 1 scene 3 say to Brabantio ” My life upon her faith,” ironic as he claims he will give his life if Desdemona deceives him vice versa at the end when he believes Desdemona being unfaithful Othello kills her.Thus inevitably he dies because of his own actions. In Act 1, Scene 3 we learn a lot about Othello’s life because he explains how he was sold into the slave trade that in turn lead him to many of his adventures. All resulted to Desdemona falling in love with him.

From Act 1, scene 3 the story is moved to Cyprus because of the battle against the Turkish in which Othello has been chosen to be general by the Duke. This was however a veil to cover the fact that Othello was being used. Soon as they are victorious the power is handed over to Cassio a white ex-lieutenant.The racism of the time is very evident in this play.

Othello is called ‘the moor’ through out, something, which Othello does not react to indicating that this racist word must have been common. When Iago tells his plans to the audience the audience is naturally curious on how he is going to achieve this. However, his plan is the dramatic irony in the whole play. So Act 1, Scene 3 in a very important scene to the play because it consists of many issues which have a greater effect to future scenes with in the play!

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Othello act 1 2 Pages 468 Words

             In act one of Othello, by William Shakespeare, the character Iago presents a soliloquy to the audience. Iago's soliloquy is reflective of the action set forth in act one. This is shown in three ways. Iago's use of Roderigo for his money, the revelation of Iago's true nature, and his jealousy towards Cassio's lieutenancy prove that the soliloquy directly effects act one. These three ideas are relevant to the action in act one.              Roderigo allows himself to be taken advantage of by Iago. He is so infatuated with Desdemona that he can't see he is being used for his money. Roderigo believes that Iago can woo Desdemona for him by giving Iago his money to buy her fancy gifts. Roderigo is madly in love with Desdemona and talks of drowning himself because she is Othello's wife. Iago uses Roderigo for his money. He says, "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse."              In the beginning of act one, Iago says to Roderigo, "I am not what I am." This line is foreshadowing to his soliloquy. Othello sees Iago as a trustworthy person. Othello has so much trust in him that he places his wife in the care of Iago when he is at war. Othello is constantly referring to him as "honest Iago." These words are of irony because in reality, Iago is playing Othello for a fool. When not in Othello's presence, Iago is quick to refer to him with racial slurs and demeaning terms. In his soliloquy he reveals that he plans to set up Cassio and Desdemona by making Othello believe that the two have slept with each other.              Iago believes that Cassio is unworthy of his position of lieutenant. Iago says, "Forsooth, a great arithmetician... a Florentine." He believes that Cassio is incapable of being lieutenant because what he knows of being in the military was learned from books. He also believes that since Cassio is not Venetian he should not be a soldier. In his soliloquy, I              ...

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