Act 1 Scene 2

Iago ironically proclaims that his is not evil enough to kill a man and finds it immoral in “I have slain men, / Yet do I hold it very stuff o’th’ conscience.” To aid in his false façade and ability to win the trust of others, he pins Brabantio as the culprit behind “scurvy and provoking terms” against Othello’s honour. In this scene, we also bear witness to Othello’s rationality, stating that his “services... shall out-tongue” Brabantio’s alleged “complaints”. He speaks of his “love [for] the gentle Desdemona” which both provides us with a point to compare his later hatred for her, as well as characterises her before she even has a chance to speak and establish her own character.