Shakespeare Delays the Entry of His Tragic

Shakespeare delays the entry of his tragic hero until the second scene of Othello, creating dramatic irony and suspense. He also allows the audience to first perceive Othello from the eyes of Iago and Roderigo, thus emphasizing their roles in the coming course of action. Although it is unclear whether Iago and Roderigo are honest men this early in the play, the fact that they fail to name the title character leads the audience to suspect that these two men might be up to no good. Furthermore, their characterization of Othello raises curiosity in the mind of the audience. The introduction of Othello in Scene 2 of the first act relieves this dramatic tension. Othello is poised, regal, and, as we soon see in scene 3, popular; the Duke clearly favors him over Brabantio. Othello is portrayed as a sympathetic character early in Shakespeare's play.

Othello is only referred to as "him," "he," "the Moor," and "Moorship," in the first scene of the play. He is also referred to by derogatory, racist comments like "the thick lips," and "old black ram." Because Iago and Roderigo say such negative things about Othello, and because they plot against him, the audience musters up more sympathy for the man than if the playwright had introduced him earlier. When the audience finally hears him speak in scene 2, the conniving Iago seems even more evil than he would have otherwise. Moreover, Shakespeare sets the stage for dramatic irony: the audience knows that Iago and Roderigo plot against him but Othello does not. Therefore, Shakespeare creates suspense stemming from dramatic irony.

Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio all complain about Othello. Of course, Brabantio does so only because Iago and Roderigo planted the idea in his head that Othello used witchcraft to put a spell on Desdemona. Iago is angry that Othello appointed Cassio instead of him to the post of Lieutenant. Roderigo is also jealous of Othello because of his own pining after Desdemona. Therefore, these three men all hint that somehow Othello is a deceitful, selfish, lecherous man.

However, once Othello enters in scene 2 and he speaks with Iago, it becomes clear that the Moor is a strong but gentle man. Iago tells Othello that Brabantio spoke "such scurvy and provoking terms / Against your honor," (I, ii, 8-9). Instead of Othello losing his temper and swearing revenge on his father-in-law, he dismisses the insult: 'let him do his spite," (I, ii, 19). When the audience witnesses the Duke's reaction to Brabantio's accusations, we are further convinced that Othello is not a devious man but that Iago is the true villain. Already, Brabantio, Roderigo, and Cassio are portrayed as dupes, instruments of the wily Iago. Iago, the audience can plainly see, is an evil man.