Othello

Act 1: Key Ideas

Characters
Consolidate what you have learned about the following characters by referring
back to the sticky notes in your book.
• Iago :

• Roderigo:

• Cassio

• Othello

• Desdemona

Themes
• Love/Jealousy/Revenge :
o At the beginning of the play, Othello says that Desdemona loved
him for the dangers he faced and he loved her because she pitied
him (I iii 193-194). He also says though that she told Othello that if
he “…had a friend that loved her,/ I should but teach him how to tell
my story, / And that would woo her” (I iii 190-193). One would
assume she was being coy and meant that Othello’s story was
winning her over. But Othello does have a friend, Cassio. Is it
possible that she was referring to Cassio? But then she acts very
impulsively and betrays her father’s trust by sneaking out in the
middle of the night to marry Othello without her father’s permission
so she must really love Othello. Or maybe she just loves the
excitement.

o Iago offers up some reasons as to why he hates Othello: One

reason is that Othello promoted Cassio, a scholar and a Florentine,
over Iago, a seasoned soldier (I I 8-35). He also says that there’s
a rumor that Othello has slept with Iago’s wife. He doesn’t seem to
 be particularly bothered by this rumor though (I iii 430-431). Is Iago
jealous? Is this why he does what he does?

• Heaven and Hell/ Good and Evil/ Christianity and Heathenism

o The Elizabethans had very clear ideas about good and evil. Iago
says “Hell and night / Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s
light” (I iii 446-447). At this point it should be clear to the audience
that Iago is an agent of evil. Elizabethans believed that the devil
would actively tempt good people to sin and they would have
recognized this in Iago.
o The Turks advancing to Cyprus would have been viewed by the
Elizabethans as a “heathen” army because they were not Christian.
Therefore, Othello was taking Desdemona to a place where “good”
was battling “evil” on a number of levels.

• Appearance and Seeming:

o Everyone thinks Iago is honest. Othello says “A man he is of
honesty and trust” (I iii 323). We already know that he can’t trust
Iago. This sets up dramatic irony.
o Othello does not appear to be attractive physically (according to the
Duke) but he points out to Brabantio that if his virtue could show on
the outside he would be “far more fair than black” (I iii 331)
o Brabantio warns Othello that Desdemona may deceive him
because she deceived her father (I iii 334).
o Iago plans to use Cassio’s appearance against him. He is young
and attractive—the perfect person to draw out Othello’s
insecurities.

• Order and Chaos/Politics and the State

o Brabantio thinks Othello is the source of disorder because he is an
outsider and has been charged with the duty of fighting against the
Turks. Othello assures the Duke that Desdemona’s presence in
Cyprus will not distract him from the task at hand.