After having been prepared for a passionate and possibly violent personage in Othello, the quiet calm of Othello’s character—his dismissal of Roderigo’s alleged insult and his skillful avoidance of conflict—is surprising. In fact, far from presenting Othello as a savage barbarian, Shakespeare implicitly compares him to Christ. The moment when Brabanzio and his men arrive with swords and torches, tipped off to Othello’s whereabouts by Othello’s disloyal friend, vividly echoes John 18: 1– 11. In that Gospel, Christ and his followers are met by officers carrying swords and torches. The officers were informed of Christ’s whereabouts by Judas, who pretends to side with Christ in the ensuing confrontation. When Othello averts the violence that seems imminent with a single sentence, “Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust ’em” (I.ii. 60), he echoes Christ’s command to Peter, “Put up thy sword into the sheath” (John 18: 11). However, whereas Christ’s calm restraint is due to his resigned acceptance of his fate, Othello’s is due to his sense of his own authority. Iago matched his tone. ‘For God’s sake!’ he snapped. ‘You won’t even listen! If I even imagined this then hate me.’

Let me see it with my own eyes,’ said Othello. ‘Or at the very least, prove it beyond doubt. Your life depends on it!’ Not I,’ said Othello. ‘I have to face them. Everything about me, and my clear conscience, will show me to be in the right. Is it them?’ Lodovico drew himself up and faced Othello. ‘You must leave this room and go with us,’ he said. ‘Your authority and your command have been removed and Cassio now rules in Cyrus. As for this slave, if there’s any bad torture that can be devised and prolongued, he will have it. You will remain under close arrest until the Venetian state knows about your crime. Come! Take him away.’ Lodovico turned to go. Desdemona was dead. Emilia had probably come to tell him about Cassio’s death. She was making enough noise. He looked down at Desdemona. There was no more movement – still as the grave. Should he let Emilia in? Would that be wise? Was Desdamona moving again? No. What should he do? If she came in she would speak to his wife. His wife! His wife! What wife? He had no wife. Oh, insupportable! Oh heavy hour! There should now be a huge eclipse of the sun and moon, making the whole earth feel it.

Montano came in leading a group comprised of Lodovico, Cassio, in a chair, carried in by attendants and Iago, guarded by soldiers. Roderigo understood the pretence and drew his sword too, but before he could find out how such a situation was going to be resolved Othello came between them.

And mine, two hundred,’ said another senator. ‘And although they don’t agree, and where there are explanations they differ, they all confirm a Turkish fleet advancing on Cyprus.’ The Duke got up and escorted Othello to the table. ‘We have to send you urgently to deal with the enemy, the Ottomans. Ah, Brabantio, I didn’t see you. Welcome dear Signor. We missed your help and advice tonight.’ And you have mercy on me too! I’ve never offended you in my life! I never loved Cassio except for what is acceptable. I never gave him any token.’ And I don’t! I love him so much that even his stubbornness, his reprimands, his frowns – just unpin me – appeal to me.’There you are then,’ said Iago. ‘She who when so young could appear so affected, and to seal her father’s eyes up so soundly that he thought it was witchcraft… But this is all my fault. I humbly beg your pardon for loving you too much.’ Iago waited a moment and then began walking home. He smiled grimly. As usual he was getting money out of fools. As if he would lower himself to spend time with such a pathetic individual unless he was having some fun and getting money out of it as well. As he walked he felt his hatred of the Moor well up. And he had heard that the Moor had been with his wife Emilia. He didn’t know whether it was true but he would take that hint of suspicion as a fact. He stood in high regard with the General and that would help his purpose. He began to plan his revenge. Cassio was a good looking man. He thought about that. How could he get Cassio’s position of Lieutenant and get his revenge on the Moor at the same time? How?…How?… A strategy was developing in his mind. After a while, when they were settled in, be would make Othello think that Cassio was too familiar with Desdemona. Cassio was a handsome man with the charm and personality that could easily make women unfaithful. On the other hand the Moor had an open and trusting nature, thinking men are honest when they only seem to be so, and could be led by the nose as easily as a donkey. Iago sat down in Othello’s vacated chair. ‘What if I told you I had actually seen him doing you wrong, or heard him say – as there are such rogues who, having seduced some married woman, can’t help blabbing about it.’ Keep your bright swords up,’ he said, ‘or the dew will rust them.’ He took a few steps towards Brabantio. ‘Good Signor,’ he said. ‘You have more authority with your age and wisdom than with your weapons.’