Iago’s Manipulation in Act One of Shakespeares Othello :: Othello essays

Iagos Manipulation in Act One of OthelloThe events that occur in the initial half of Act 1 are all in anticipation of the lead character Othello who we are not immediately introduced too. We learn Iagos call forth in the second line of the play and Roderigos soon after, but Othello is not mentioned by his name once. Instead he is referred to as he, him and is a great deal exposit as the moor (1.1.58) he is also described as having thick lips (1.1.67) and later as being a Barbary horse (1.1.111) is continuously described by his critics, mainly Iago, as a moor, demonstrating Iagos frequently concerning nature of race and also portraying Othello as something of an alien. From this reference we are satisfactory to immediately understand Iagos true feelings and motives for Othello. The audience at this point know nothing of Othello that is gained by their witness opinion, instead we are lead to look at from Iagos race related description that Othello is a threatening and evil moor, whose beastial sexual appetite, conveyed by Iagos cries to Brabantio, telling him that an old black ram is tupping his neat ewe (1.1.89), is something of a rapist. Iagos coarse animal related language conveys Iagos feelings against Othellos marriage in a much more pronounced way. The fancy of an old black ram gives the audience nothing but negative images of Othello, especially when this old black ram is being associated with the innocence of a blanched ewe. Iago then associates Othello with the image of the devil (1.1.92) because of Othellos colour, Iago warns Brabantio that he has lost half his soul now that Desdemona is married to Othello. Iago here emphasises the biracial nature of the marriage, already cover his ability to manipulate people, in this case he is manipulating Brabantio, to believe in Iagos own opinions and in theory to eliminate all thoughts that Brabantio might of had of his own about the marriage. Despite the negative foregrounding of Othellos 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(1.3.76) to his future father-in-law Brabantio of Othellos love for his daughter Desdemona in Act 1 guess 3. This is a very different character to what we expect from Iagos preparation for the introduction of Othello. Where we are expecting an angry and possibly violent character, we instead are met with something completely surprising, a quiet and calm man who dismisses Roderigos insult and even avoids the prospect of a conflict.