![]() That, doting on his own obsequious bondage, We cannot all be masters, nor all masters ’Tis the curse of service.Īnd not by old gradation, where each second In keeping with the original text, we'll refer to Othello as "the Moor" for this first scene.)īy heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. (Psst! Throughout this entire first scene, Othello is only referred to as "the Moor" and never by personal name. Just to be clear, Othello is the one who passed Iago over for the lieutenant position. So now we've learned that the "him" is a black man who is a general in the Venetian army. And he's peeved that he's basically still an ancient (or ensign, meaning the lowly ranked guy who carries the flag of an army in war) instead of second-in-command to "his Moorship." A quick peek at the character list reveals that the Moorish general is our title character, Othello. Iago believes that Cassio will be useless in war. Iago is displeased, especially because this Cassio is a numbers guy, a great mathematician with no battle experience. Iago knows he's worthy of the position, but the mystery man said he'd already chosen a lieutenant, another guy named Michael Cassio. Iago explains his reason to hate this "him." Iago got three of Venice's VIPs to advocate to "him," asking "him" to make Iago a lieutenant. Roderigo, referring to this news, says, "I thought you hated him!" and Iago says, "Of course, I hate him!" and we're asking, "Who the heck are you guys talking about?" and Shakespeare says, "In good time, grasshoppers." He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,Īnd I, God bless the mark, his Moorship’s ancient. But he, sir, had th’ election Īnd I, of whom his eyes had seen the proofĪt Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds 30Ĭhristened and heathen, must be beleed andīy debitor and creditor. More than a spinster-unless the bookish theoric, 25Īs masterly as he. Horribly stuffed with epithets of war, 15 I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.īut he, as loving his own pride and purposes, Off-capped to him and, by the faith of man, In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, 10 Thou toldst me thou didst hold him in thy hate. We learn that Roderigo has been doling out cash to Iago, and that he's now upset about some news Iago has delivered. We, the audience, have just walked in on the conversation, so we're not exactly clear about why they're fighting, yet. ![]() We meet Roderigo and Iago, having a spat on a street in Venice, Italy. Tush, never tell me! I take it much unkindlyĪs if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |