Act 1 Scene 1 Effective Opening to Othello

Stuart cutting

Othello

Act 1 Scene 1 Effective Opening to Othello

The play begins in a dark street in Venice and the audience is thrown into a heated debate between Iago, a soldier and Roderigo, a wealthy Venetian. Roderigo is rejecting, 'Tush, Never tell me', what Iago has just said and is angry as Iago has not informed him that Desdemona has eloped with Othello, a black general hired by the city of Venice to protect it from the Turks. Iago has been apparently helping Roderigo win Desdemona's, daughter of the rich merchant Brabantio, heart, in return for money 'Iago, who hast had my purse As if the strings were thine'. The audience is already taken by surprise as Othello, the protagonist who they are expecting to see is not on stage. This dramatic device used by Shakespeare shocks the audience, creating intrigue to see when he will appear. Further tension is created, in just the first few lines, by opening the scene with interrupted discourse. The audience wants to know what has happened to cause such an argument and as it seems to be a question of money and love; suspense increases.

Roderigo continues with 'Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate', aggressiveness is represented in this line with the onomatopoeic repetition of 'dst' which creates a spitting sound when spoken. The first signs of Iago's deceiving character are shown here as he has already stated he hates Othello and though there is no apparent reason to not believe Iago's claims he knew nothing of the love, secrecy (with no introduction of Othello yet) shadows the situation. Iago's confident character is displayed when saying 'Despise me if I do not', not caring what Roderigo thinks of him and at the same time trying to persuade Roderigo he knew nothing of the matter. 'I know my price, I am worth no worse a place' slows the speech down with caesura and dramatic punctuation. The use if 'I' shoes Iago's self-involvement as he deems himself better than where he presently is, introducing the theme of reputation and how valued it was. He continues and summarizes what has previously happened, that Cassio was appointed as Othello's lieutenant, not he. Accusing Othello

of being proud and boastful by explaining to Iago in 'bombast circumstances' (wordy indirectness) and 'epithets of war' (military jargon) why he was not made lieutenant make Othello out to be patronizing. That Cassio is one who can only count, 'arithmetician' and knows nothing of military practice as he was taught in 'bookish theory' infuriates Iago as he was the one who fought with Othello, 'seen the proof At Rhodes'. Your worth as a person accumulates, according to Iago, from what you have experienced, he can not see why someone without any physical practice would be any good. Reputation and self-value are also implied by Iago thinking he has proved his worth and not been acknowledged, causing the audience to sympathise

with his frustration. Iago speaks in blank verse in iambic pentameter, 'Despise me if I do not. Three great ones of the city'. Shakespeare often uses this strict rhythm in important speeches to involve the audience in

what is being said by identifying with the oral sequence of the character. Iago's uninterrupted speech fills in the background so the audience knows some details to fully understand the plot, a hang over of the Greek tragic chorus, who would sing to inform spectators. Also, this speech introduces the questionable protagonist, Othello, indirectly. Sympathising with Iago and later with Desdemona's father, the audience could be quite resentful towards him and Shakespeare reinforces that by calling Othello 'his Moorship'. Throughout the speech, Othello is not spoken of by his real name, denying him of some status and humanity, instead 'his Moorship' or 'the Moor' are used. 'His' and 'the' create derogatory indifference to who he is, and

'Moor' describes African tribe races who would be dark skinned, its reference to the theme of appearance and reality would make the Jacobean audience very suspicious as who would be acting Othello's coloured role.

Iago sustains his presence on set with another speech as Roderigo prompts him. Shakespeare now properly introduces the audience to Iago's manipulative fashion. Iago's 'O! Sir' to Roderigo turns the roles around, making Roderigo feel superior and more inclined to follow Iago as he is so flattered by the unusual way in which he is being spoken to. However, Iago is in control. Shakespeare plays to his audience, who would be mainly servants, through