Key sources of tension in the opening scene of Othello Tracey Tran 11th Grade

In the opening scene of “Othello” written by William Shakespeare, the key sources of tension lie within the racial prejudice of the Moor people and the ambition behind occupational and wealth success, are portrayed through bitter conflict between Iago and Roderigo, where Roderigo was promoted to a higher status by Othello and where Brabantio mocks and ridicules Otello’s relationship with Desdemona, stemmed by supernatural powers and impure affection due to his deemed inferiority by the “white” race. The Elizabethan era viewed “blackness” as moral corruption and violence, due to one’s sexuality, temper and magical alluring, highlighting that social appearance and race overrides the protagonist’s intellect and roots the internal conflict and distrust from “white” individuals. Iago’s desire for wealth drives his ego and deception, which causes him to hide this reality by his appearance as a faithful standard bearer and instills anger and mutual trust in Roderigo through his equal hatred of Othello. Therefore, tension is exhibited by corrupt morals of idealizing individuals by social appearance and expectations and that wealth and authority blinds an individual’s purity and logic, through the utilization of literary techniques...