Plays: Othello 1

"Tush, never tell me! I take it much unkindly
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this." --Roderigo (1362: I. i. 1-3)

This play begins in medias res. It begins in the middle of something and readers are uncertain as to what was going on prior to our introduction. I am not sure what the purpose of this is, but readers are able to infer what the conversation was about because some of it is given to the readers. However, we are never told what Iago was not supposed to tell Roderigo. The scene that begins the play is hardly introductory. Like I said before, we are thrown into the thick of things right off the bat. In the first few pages, we begin to know that Iago is upset because he was not picked to be the Lieutenant even though he had the seniority and skills. At this point, I do not think that readers are missing out on anything by the play starting in medias res because Shakespeare wouldn't have started the play without vital information. The information at the beginning and Iago's wrath over not being pick for lieutenant carries on throughout the act as something constantly gnawing at his conscience and driving him crazy.