The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice

By William Shakespeare

Commentary, Act I

Act I

It is night. "Tush" and ""Sblood" open the play. Though both Roderigo and Iago display a vulgarity of language, Roderigo makes his mark as a gentleman against the coarse soldier speech of Iago. Whilst one of the "curled darlings of the nation", he is certainly not darling to Brabantio nor to Desdemona whom he seeks.

Iago reveals such a hatred of Othello shared not even by Brabantio. Roderigo may doubt it but it is one of the truest emotions Iago expresses in the play. In his first speech, one motive for his hatred may be found. Othello has chosen Michael Cassio to be his lieutenant instead of Iago and Iago has nothing but scorn for them both: Othello he describes as "loving his own pride and purposes" and "horribly stuffed with epithets of war" (1.1.11-13). As we will learn, there is some truth in these judgements. Iago thinks himself more suitable for the post than Cassio who he derides as "a great arithmetician...that never set a squadron in the field / nor the division of battle know / more than a spinster..." (1.1.18-23). He is not "bookish" like Cassio. He has practical experience of soldiering. Of him, Othello's "eyes had seen proof" - the same ocular proof that he demands from Iago of Desdemona's infidelity - "at Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds, Christian and heathen" (1.1.27-29).

Iago is referred to often throughout the play as "my Ancient". The contrast has bitterness in it whenever he replies to Othello as "my Lord" or Cassio as "Lieutenant". In Iago's speech on masters and servants (I.1.40ff), his true concept of his position is revealed and with it the philosophy underlying his malice if such a thing exists: "I follow him to serve my turn upon him. / We cannot all be masters, nor all masters can be truly followed...In following him, I follow but myself" (1.1.41-43, 57). He derides those who "doting on his own obsequious bondage / wears out his time much like his master's ass" (1.1.45-46) and praises those who "keep yet their hearts attending on themselves / and, throwing but shows of service on their lords...do themselves homage" (1.1.50-53). "These men have some soul," he professes. His creed worships but himself, and his words suggest contempt for the souls who hold honesty and honour dear. "I am not what I am", he concludes, yet Roderigo still trusts him, as do Cassio, Desdemona and Othello. That is Iago, "honest Iago", "ancient" to them all but master at the same time.

The first task Iago sets is to wake Brabantio and inform him that his daughter has eloped with Othello. This custom (called charivari) was not uncommon in a situation where one party disapproved of a match. Iago incites Roderigo to yell "as when by night and negligence the fire / is spied in populous cities". This practical image serves well the simple mind of Roderigo and such imagery is employed to similar effect to incite Brabantio: "Even now, very now, now, an old black ram / is tupping your white ewe" (1.1.87- 88). If anything is to "Arise, arise / the snorting citizens", it is language such as this. Brabantio's first impression of this as "malicious bravery...to start my quiet" is all too accurate. Iago declares that "you have lost half your soul...your daughter covered by a Barbary horse...now making the beast with two backs". Iago, as throughout the play is creating an image - a very obscene image - to provoke Brabantio. He succeeds: Brabantio arises, stunned by the darkness around him and calls for "Light! I say, light!" [1.1.75- 142]

Iago makes his exit so as to be seen doing Othello "shows of service" when Roderigo arrives in the company of Brabantio and his followers. It is important that, up to this point, the audience has only the vivid image of Othello as the savage "tupper" that Iago has painted. Othello's first words "Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them" are noble and authoritative, the same voice which spoke of "... the battle, sieges, fortunes / that I have passed...of moving accidents by flood and field / Of hair- breadth scapes i'th'imminent deadly breach", the voice of a man that fetched his "life and being from men of royal siege". It was this voice and no "spells and medicines bought of mountebanks" to which Desdemona had "seriously inclined" and come again with a "greedy ear". The picture that Othello paints of himself is a powerful antidote to that which Iago paints in the first scene, and yet there is unquestionably aloofness in the way he speaks. It is clear, though, that Othello is in complete control. His words are indeed masterful and charming. His speech to the senate (1.3.129-) is a series of false summits:

Her father loved m, oft invited me

Still questioned me the story of my life

From year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes

That I have passed.

I ran through it, even from my boyish days

To th' very moment he bade me tell it

Stop? No, he goes on, "wherein I spake…Of moving accidents…Of hair-breadth scapes…Of being taken by the insolent foe". Again he seems to conclude "…of my redemption thence, and portance in my travailous history", and again resumes "Wherein of antres vast…". With talk of "Anthropophagi" (cannibals) and "men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders", he conjures an exotic image. But, he is in manners every bit as polished as a Venetian. It is as though he were a savage tamed to civilisation just as he is a Muslim converted to Christianity. He concludes sardonically, "This [love] only is the witchcraft I have used".

In his petition to the Senators of Venice, Othello claims that "She loved me for the dangers I had passed / And I loved her that she did pity them". Whilst this boasting-sympathy couplet might not be a good firm basis for a marriage it is enough to divide Desdemona from her duty to her father, "the lord of duty" and profess "...so much duty as my mother showed / To you, preferring you before her father". The fidelity of this duty, Desdemona's love, never wavers throughout the play and is such as tempts Desdemona, at the end of the play, to lie that it was herself and not Othello who was responsible for her death. Brabantio cannot understand this love, a love of someone, whilst impressive, always foreign. With cruel pertinence he advises "Look to her Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: / She has deceived her father, and may thee".

Brabantio indeed feels hard done by - "my particular grief / is of so flood-gate and o'erbearing nature / that it engluts and swallows other sorrows" - that such a foreigner, "the Turk of Cyprus", should take his daughter. His identification of Othello as a foreigner, despite his Venetian manners, is an important theme in the play. The senate hold for Othello. They are in urgent need of his command to defend their empire against the Turks. It is not purely this chance that saves Othello. The general respect in which he is held as a soldier is evident throughout the play. It is this that captivates Desdemona. As Othello says, "My story being done/ she gave me for my pains a world of sighs / She swore in faith 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange / 'Twas wondrous pitiful" and she confirms, "I saw Othello's visage in his mind/ and of his honours and his valiant parts / did I my soul and fortunes consecrate". This Moor of Cyprus as in her mind seen as the noble and brave warrior that he portrays, even to his dying speech. Othello himself says: "My parts, my title and my soul / Shall manifest me rightly". Both seem to overcome the visual image of Othello as a black man and see him in the same light as a Venetian gentleman. They see his white soul. For this Desdemona loves him and for this she begs to go with him to Cyprus. He reassures them that he wishes her with him not "to please the palate of my appetite / nor to comply with heat...But to be free and bounteous to her mind".

Iago cannot be seen to deride the Moor as a soldier. In this, and perhaps only this, does Iago respect his master. He cannot, however, see past the black skin to the white soul that Desdemona loves. The love that Desdemona professes for him is based purely on sex as far as he is concerned. At then end of the first act, he talks to Roderigo of "love". Again, Iago paints a picture - of our body as a garden whose gardener is our will. He says that our lives are a balance poised between reason and sensuality. Love fits in as "merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will". This concept of permission suggests that the driving force for love comes from sensuality. Whenever he comments on any form of love in the play he reduces it to this with coarse reference as, in a conversation with Cassio, act II scene 3, he speaks of Desdemona as "sport for Jove", and "full of game".

Roderigo exits (1.3.380) but not before Iago has claimed money for his service, "Therefore, put money in thy purse...". The soliloquy which follows makes further light of this

Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:

For I mine own gained knowledge should profane

If I would time expend with

such a snipe

But for my sport and profit

Roderigo is the fool but, more interestingly, we see Iago's association between sex as sport and the extortion of poor fools like Roderigo. They are both the sport of malign souls like Iago. The rest of the soliloquy reveal at least one of Iago's motives and also the way in which his cunning traps the victims of his malignity. His primary motive is clear - "I hate the Moor - and a reason for this is also described: he believes, though without reason and without real conviction, that the Moor has done his office with his wife. He knows that this suspicion is ridiculous - he calls it "for mere suspicion in that kind" - but the jealousy that this engenders is exactly that which he warns Othello of: "...beware...the green-eyed monster, which doth mock/ the meat it feeds upon" (3.3.167-9). Othello he calls "The Moor...of free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem so...". Remember when Iago says, "I am not what I am"? (1.1.64). Consider when Othello says later, "Certain, men should be what they seem" (3.3.131). Iago's power and control are all too clear - he is not what he seems and using this he can lead the "Moor...as tenderly...by th' nose / As asses are". This soliloquy is just as revealing of Iago's methods: "let me see now...How? How? Let's see..." He is improvising, the plan is forming slowly in his mind and he develops on this in his next soliloquy, "'Tis here, but yet confused:/ Knavery's plain face is never seen, till used" (2.1.309-310). A plan is being born - "I hav't, it is engendered! Hell and night/ must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light". Dark side, meet light side...