1.1.35 “his moorships ancient”

1.1.35 “his moorships ancient”

This passage spoken by Iago comes as Rodrigo and Iago discuss Othello at the beginning of Othello . This is the first time that Othello is referred to as anything other than the pronoun of him. The fact that Rodrigo and Iago only discuss Othello in these terms is important because it sets Othello apart from these characters and into a lower class because he does not deserve to be referred to using a name. When the Iago stops referring to Othello with a pronoun, we see that he is referred to as a moorship. While initiating the pattern of referring to Othello as a moor, Iago also mocks the hierarchical legal system of the time through equating moorship to lordship. While the association with lordship seems like a positive acknowledgement of someone being in powered, the addition of moor and the Moroccan culture marks Othello as an outsider. As in the case of Cassio’s association with the Florentines, outsiders who were not from Venice were frowned upon. Drawing attention to Othello’s geographical otheredness is a motif we see throughout the play. It is in naming that we see Othello removed from being thought of as an individual, and instead is associated with a linguistic category. Iago’s mocking behavior makes the characters and the audience uncomfortable and raises both parties suspicions about his intentions

heather gordon