1) What evidence in Brabantio's first speech shows how he is feeling? What words or expressions does he use to show what his emotions are? 2) How does Shakespeare get the audience's immediate attention? Why would you start a play in the middle of a conversation?

3) What are Iago and Roderigo discussing at the beginning of the scene? What is the problem?

4) When Brabantio says 'In honest plainness thou hast heard me say my daughter is not for thee," what do we learn about Roderigo? Who did Roderigo like and what does this let us know about his motivations in scene 1?

5) Why is Brabantio so upset? What is it about Othello (The Moor) that makes Brabantio crazy with anger at the thought that his daughter is with him? What racist terms do you see the characters call Othello? For example, at one point Roderigo calls him "thick lips." There are other instances of this too. Find me some.