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The scene opens with messages that Cyprus is about to be attacked by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire.
Into the midst of this excitement comes Brabantio to appeal to the Duke for justice at Othello's elopement
with Desdemona. He accuses the Moor of seducing his daughter through magical spells and drugs.
Othello defends himself in that it was merely his stories of the battlefield -- and of the strange people
whom he encountered -- which had won Desdemona to him.
Desdemona, upon being summoned, confirms Othello's innocence. Since Brabantio will not have her
back into his house, however, she is forced to follow Othello to Cyprus.
In the meantime, Iago hatches his plot to revenge himself on Othello, as well as to win Desdemona over
to Roderigo.
WAS IT NECESSARY FOR THE PLOT THAT OTHELLO BE BLACK?
This play deals with insecurities and revenge. To achieve that purpose, although it was not essential for
Othello to be Black, it made it very much easier for Shakespeare to put the point across.
Indeed, the Shakespearian audience would have distrusted Othello from the very moment that he set foot
on stage because he would have symbolised many things that the audience would feel insecure about.
Othello was very much "the other" or "the outsider".
First, he was a Moor who, in Shakespeare's time, were despised in England. Furthermore, although the
Moors of Spain had long converted to Christianity, it was suspected that their conversions were false and
that, at heart, they were still practising Islamic custom.
He was also dark skinned (Shakespeare confuses Moor with Negro) and, again in Shakespeare's day,
black had the connotation of evil. "To be the black sheep of the family" meant to be the odd one out, not
to be trusted.
The colour black was associated with death and Satan whereas white was associated with purity and
goodness. A person wore black to a funeral whereas brides wore white to their wedding. This was then
transferred in the class structure: White people were trusted whereas Black people were distrusted.
Biblically, Black people were believed to be the descendants of Ham, doomed to be "hewers of wood and
drawers of water" -- in other words, to be slaves. Indeed, it was this association which enabled Europe
of Elizabethan times to enslave black people.
Furthermore, Othello was clearly a practiser of magic and witchcraft, made clear by Brabantio and
substantiated by Desdemona. He had won Desdemona's affections by his tales of magic and witchcraft,
stories of people who faces were on their chests.
Indeed, Brabantio was of the opinion that he had entrapped her by witchcraft, and remember that witches
could be burned at the stake in Shakespeare's day.
It is very clear that Brabantio would never have given Othello the hand of Desdemona in marriage if he
had not been forced to do so because Venice needed Othello to help them defeat the Turks.
It is also very clear that the Duke would have carried out Brabantio's wishes to slap Othello in gaol for
eloping with Desdemona except that his military prowess was essential at that very moment.
In other words, a play of betrayal and mistrust worked far better if the main character was black skinned
because then Shakespeare could take much for granted without having to explain it.
Have you looked at the questions in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer the following questions:
"At nine i' the morning here we'll meet again.
Othello, leave some officer behind,
And he shall our commission bring to you."
- Why does everyone need to meet with the Duke at nine the following morning? (4)
[Need help?]
News has reached the Duke of a threatened Turkish (Ottoman) attack on Cyprus.
Although urgent steps need to be taken to avert the attack, it will nevertheless take the Duke some time
to put together his plan of action.
All participants in the defence of the island must therefore meet again at nine the next morning, by which
time the Duke will be ready with his instructions.
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- Will Othello be there? Give reasons for your answer. (2)
[Need help?]
Othello will not be at the meeting.
The threat of the attack is so serious that Othello needs to depart immediately for Cyprus and cannot wait
till the plans are ready.
He is therefore instructed to name his officer who will receive the plans on his behalf and convey them to
Cyprus later.
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- Why does the Duke use the pronoun "our" instead of "my" when he says "our
commission"? (2)
[Need help?]
This is known as the "Royal We".
The Duke sums up in his person the many people over whom he rules. When he speaks, therefore, he
does so in the name of his many subjects and not just of himself alone.
He therefore speaks of "our commission" and not "my commission".
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"So please your grace, my ancient,
A man he is of honesty and trust,
To his conveyance I assign my wife."
- Who is Othello referring to when he speaks of "my ancient"? (1)
[Need help?]
The "ancient" refers to Iago.
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- Comment on the irony of Othello's words. (4)
[Need help?]
Othello speaks of honesty and trust but the irony is that Iago is neither honest nor trustworthy. Indeed,
it is Iago's plan to use deceit as well as out and out lies to bring about Othello's destruction.
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- Why is it important to the plot that Iago be given charge of Desdemona for the voyage to
Cyprus? (4)
[Need help?]
It is important to the plot that Iago has time to be alone with Desdemona. This will reinforce in Othello a
complete trust for the man so that Iago can begin to weave his spells of deception and lies.
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"If virtue no delighted beauty lack,
Your son-in-law is far more fair than black."
- Comment fully on the paradox of the words "more fair than black". (6)
[Need help?]
Blackness in Elizabethan times was synonymous with evil. We speak of the black sheep of the family.
The devil was seen as black. Black magic was the description of magic that had evil intentions.
Whiteness, on the other hand, was synonymous with virtue and purity. White magic was good magic.
A bride wore white to show her purity.
Othello was indeed black and therefore conjured up concepts of evil and magic. Brabantio did not trust
him because of this.
The Duke, however, presents Brabantio with the paradox: that, outwardly, Othello is black and therefore
not worthy of trust but, inwardly, he is white (fair) and therefore totally trustworthy.
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"Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:
She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee."
- Explain the tone of Brabantio's advice to Othello. (2)
[Need help?]
Brabantio is deeply embittered because of Othello's eloping with Desdemona. Although he has been
forced to accept Othello's explanation, the bitterness remains.
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- In what way has Desdemona deceived her father? (2)
[Need help?]
Desdemona has deceived her father by not giving any indication that she has felt attractions for Othello
and then she has sneaked out of her father's house and eloped with her lover. She has thrown all morality
to the winds.
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- Why are these words central to the unfolding of the plot? (4)
[Need help?]
Brabantio's words are central to the plot because they will haunt Othello.
Later, when Iago whispers in his ear that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him by sleeping with Michael
Cassio, Othello will remember Brabantio's words.
The words will therefore haunt Othello, providing him with the ammunition of distrust which Iago will be
able to play with.
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