Act One Of Othello

What Is Shakespeare’s

Achievement In Act I Of Othello?

Shakespeare’s own personal aim was not to write a social and political reflection of his era, as many contemporary readers believe, it was; purely and simply, to entertain his audience. This does not mean that there can be no social and political reflections within Othello, it means that the reflections are there, not for the sake of social and political commentary, but for the sake of entertainment and pleasure. Aristotle explained in “Poetics” that the audience’s pleasure consists not merely in observing the play, but criticizing, evaluating and making comparisons. These activities produce pleasure, thus it is not a mindless pleasure. There must be intellectual and emotional engagement on the spectator’s part. According to Aristotle, to stimulate the intellectual engagement of the audience and thus create this pleasure in the spectator, a masterful piece of art or literature must contain a degree of ambiguity in its ideas. This is the reason for the social commentaries that Shakespeare includes in his work:

The play commences with two characters apparently arguing over money. Shakespeare immediately sets the mood of conflict for the remainder of the play, it is important because the reader at the outset is given a choice; who to believe and who is right. Shakespeare instantly sets about creating the mood of ambiguity which will result in the reader contemplating and analyzing the situation in hand. This will, according to Aristotle, create pleasure for the audience.

As with all Shakespeare’s plays, Othello is written (for the very vast majority) in a form of verse and with a definite rhythm. This helps the general flow of the text, and when the rhythm is broken, we are alerted to a significant event or to a particular trait in a character. When Iago tries to insult and animalize the “Barbary horse” Othello, to Brabantio (line 108), verse reverts to prose and we are alerted to the evils behind Iago’s deeds. Shakespeare, so far, is strictly adhering to Aristotle’s guidelines and certainly understands “the essential qualities of art itself”. In “Poetics” it is explained that “language into which enter rhythm, harmony and song” will create “each kind of artistic ornament” necessary to “imitate an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude” (Aristotle’s description of tragedy).

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...r and battle against the Turks, and heeds Othello to prepare to depart for Cyprus. Brabantio, before his depature, turns to Othello and warns him against trusting Desdemona, for she has “deceived her father” and may thee”. The subconscious seeds of mistrust have been planted in Othello’s mind by Brabantio, this is dramatic irony and warns the audience that the future of the marriage will not be as smooth as the naïve lovers expect.

In the act finishes with the almost satanic Iago warning of his deception to come, he shows us that the “Barbarian and a super-subtle Venetian” will not live calmly. If the audience is in any doubt as to Iago’s feelings for the Moor, he explains “I hate the Moor”. He goes on to outhline the plan of “double knavery” that he shall use to split the lovers in an act of serious deception.

The first act of Othello signals to the audience the coming themes of love and war, deception and trust and arguably; stereotypes. The issues Shakespeare brings to light, create thought and internal debate, this leads to the pleasure that Aristotle described; and achieves Shakespeare’s primary aim – to entertain.