OthelloAct 1

Scene 2

Notes

Notes - Act 1, Scene 2

• Setting: Venice

• Characters: Iago Othello

Michael CassioRoderigoBrabantio

Important Events

• Iago warns Othello of Brabantio’s anger• Cassio arrives with orders for Othello• Othello is to meet with the Duke and senators

about a Turkish invasion of Cyprus• Brabantio and his armed band come to seize

Othello• Othello persuades Brabantio to accompany

him to the Duke where Brabantio can present his case against Othello for his “theft” of Desdemona

Iago: “The smiling villain”

Iago

• Intelligent, vulgar and manipulative

• “Smiling villain” (worst type of villain)

• Duplicitous - “two-faced”

• Sees himself as the instrument of hell

• Only loves and cares for himself

“I am not what I am.”

• Iago says this (perhaps his most honest statement)

• Biblical allusion as this is an evil twist of what God says about [Himself], “I am what I am.”

• Iago shows the world one face and has another when others are not around.

Iago feigns…

• Loyalty

• Friendship

• Honesty

Iago: A complex character

Iago is one of Shakespeare's most intriguing and plausible villains. He frequently takes the audience into his confidence, a device that encourages close observation of his consummate skill as he manipulates his prey and watches his deceptions wreak havoc.

Iago

• Continues his lies

• He invokes the god Janus

• Who is Janus?

Janus

• In Roman religion, the god of beginnings

• One of the principal Roman gods• The custodian of the universe• The first hour of the day, the first day

of the month and the first month of the year were sacred to him (bears his name)

Janus• Usually represented

with two bearded heads placed back to back so that he might look in two directions as the same time.

• His festival was celebrated on January first

Othello

• A Moor

• A Venetian general

• Considered a good leader

• Popular with the people of Venice, especially the city leaders and the Duke

• Othello has many interesting stories about his adventures

• He shares these stories with Desdemona and she falls in love with him

Othello’s Tragic FlawSome say Othello’s tragic flaw is his passion and jealousy, however a more modern interpretation says it is his insecurity.

Additionally, he allows others to think for him.

Michael Cassio

• A soldier from Florence fighting for Venice

• Othello’s lieutenant• Friends with

Desdemona• A gentleman• Very handsome• Loves Bianca

Brabantio

• Believes Othello bewitched Desdemona

• Also thinks Othello used drugs on Desdemona

• Reinforces stereotypes about Africans and “black magic”

“Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her!” (1.2.77)

Brabantio and Othello

• Brabantio uses his position as Senator to get Othello.

• However, the Senate is not concerned about Desdemona, their concern is the impending war.

• Othello is not threatened; he is confident and proud of his heritage. In addition, he knows that Desdemona loves him.