2.3.1

Key Events

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Iago’s Treachery

Act One Scene Two establishes Othello as a commanding, composed character, while reinforcing Iago’s treachery.

Events

Events

  • Act One Scene Two opens with our first presentation of Othello as Iago deceives him into believing he is his faithful and loyal supporter.
  • Cassio tells Othello the state needs him, as war is imminent with the Turks in Cyprus, while Brabantio alleges Othello of seducing Desdemona with magic and drugs and calls for his arrest.
  • Othello remains calm and believes his service for the state will stand him in good favour.
Iago’s treachery

Iago’s treachery

  • Iago seamlessly switches from inciting Brabantio and Roderigo’s hatred to instead appearing supportive and loyal to Othello, claiming he wished to violently attack Roderigo ‘under the ribs’ as he was so angered by his reaction to news of the marriage.
  • Othello calmly replies ‘Tis better as it is’, establishing him as a commanding, composed character.
Cassio’s call

Cassio’s call

  • Michael Cassio’s first appearance comes with news from Cyprus as Othello has been ‘hotly called for’ by the Duke to assist ‘on the instant’ with the imminent Turkish invasion.
  • Here, we see how vital Othello’s services are to the state, and how well respected he is by the most authoritative of figures – the Duke – in Venice.

Brabantio and Othello’s Reaction

Brabantio’s response to Othello upon meeting him is coarse and direct and is heavy with racist prejudices that may have been common of the time.

Brabantio’s response

Brabantio’s response

  • Brabantio’s response to Othello upon meeting him is coarse and direct: he bemoans Othello as a ‘foul thief’ who has ‘stowed’, ‘enchanted’ and ‘abused’ his ‘delicate’ daughter.
  • He accuses Othello of deceiving and forcing Desdemona’s hand in marriage using ‘drugs or minerals that weakens motion’.
Foreignness

Foreignness

  • Brabantio constantly refers to Othello’s 'otherness' - an idea with runs throughout Othello - both in racial and social terms as he laments that Desdemona has ‘shunned the wealthy curled darlings of our nation’ for Othello’s ‘sooty bosom’.
__‘Arts inhibited and out of warrant’__

‘Arts inhibited and out of warrant’

  • His references to ‘arts inhibited and out of warrant’ imply Brabantio believes Othello has used voodoo or black magic to seduce Desdemona.
  • He seems to make assumptions about Othello based on common prejudices rather than any knowledge he has of Othello.
Predictions

Predictions

  • At the end of the scene, he suggests that allowance of the marriage may even lead to wider societal corruptive consequences – he warns that ‘if such actions may have passage free / Bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be’.
Jump to other topics
1

Context

1.1

Introduction

1.1.1Specifications
1.2

Background

1.2.1Shakespeare1.2.2Love1.2.3Tragedy1.2.4Historical Context
1.3

Othello

1.3.1Setting1.3.2Social Issues
2

Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1

Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure2.1.2The Exam
2.2

Scene One

2.2.1Key Events2.2.2Key Themes2.2.3Key Ideas
2.3

Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events2.3.2Key Themes2.3.3Key Ideas
2.4

Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events2.4.2Key Events 22.4.3Key Themes2.4.4Key Ideas
3

Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1

Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events3.1.2Key Events 23.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy3.1.4Scene Two: Events
3.2

Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events3.2.2Key Ideas
4

Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1

Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two4.1.2Scene Three4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas4.1.4Scene Four
5

Act Four

5.1

Scene One

5.1.1Key Events5.1.2Key Ideas
5.2

Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events5.2.2Key Ideas
5.3

Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events5.3.2Key Ideas
6

Act Five

6.1

Scene One

6.1.1Key Events6.1.2Key Ideas
6.2

Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events6.2.2Key Ideas
7

Character Profiles

7.1

Major Characters

7.1.1Othello7.1.2Iago7.1.3Desdemona7.1.4Emilia7.1.5Cassio
7.2

Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio7.2.2Other Characters
8

Key Themes

8.1

Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love8.1.2Love 28.1.3Tragedy8.1.4Tragedy 2
8.2

Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private8.2.2Appearance & Reality
9

Writing Techniques

9.1

Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure9.1.2Genre9.1.3Form & Language9.1.4Language & Imagery
10

Critical Debates

10.1

Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy10.1.2Traditional10.1.3Modern & Contemporary
10.2

Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach10.2.3Marxist Approach
11

Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1

Specification A

11.1.1Specification A11.1.2Love Through the Ages
11.2

Specification B

11.2.1Specification B11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy
12

Issues of Assessment

12.1

The Exams

12.1.1AOs12.1.2Mark Scheme

Practice questions on Key Events

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Michael Cassio’s first appearance:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    Examples of Iago’s treachery in Act One Scene Two:Fill in the list
  3. 3
    Which character calls for Othello to be arrested in Act One Scene Two?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Where does Iago claim to have wanted to attack Roderigo because of his reaction to news of Othello's marriage?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    Brabantio’s response to Othello:Fill in the list
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Key Ideas

Key Themes