Each of these characters has a specific situation to deal
with in the play as revealed in the opening scene, and these situations drive their
opinions about Othello:
- Iago, it appears, feels
slighted at being passed over for a promotion by Othello, it could be that a sort of
revenge is driving his hatred; - Roderigo potentially
hates Othello, because he has "stolen" the girl that Roderigo wanted to marry --
Desdemona; - Brabantio potentially hates Othello, because
he believes that Othello bewitched his daughter to make her run off and elope with
him.
However, the only character who comes
straight out and uses the word "hate" is Iago. Since he is the villain of the play, it
is important that his bad feelings seem larger and more destructive than other
characters. He mentions his hate quite a few times, and Roderigo even begins the scene
(and the play) with the line: "Thou told'st me, thou did'st hold him in thy hate." So,
if you believe what Iago says, then he hates Othello.
The
thing that makes Roderigo appear to hate Othello (and he might, in fact, hate Othello;
it just isn't stated blatantly in this opening scene) is that he refers to him with
racial slurs. He calls Othello "thicklips" and "a lascivious Moor." Referring to
Othello by his lips and his heritage rather than as his individual self is a bigoted
thing to do, but cannot confirm that he hates Othello.
As
for Brabantio, we know from Othello's speech later in the Act that he had often been
Othello's kind host, that, in fact, Brabantio's home is where Othello and Desdemona met
and fell in love. But he also refers to Othello as simply "Moor" and assumes that
Othello has used some voodoo to bewitch his daughter to marry him. Again, a bigoted
point of view, but not proof of hatred.
If you are looking
for proof in Act I, scene i of hatred towards Othello, you will only find direct textual
confirmation of this in the lines of Iago, the other feelings can only be
inferred.
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