What is Brabantio accusing Othello of?

Answer 1

Brabantio disapproves of Othello and the relationship he has with Brabantio's daughter Desdemona. This is not because Othello is not worthy of Desdemona because he is a much respected officer, but because he is a Moor (in that time an African) and therefore considered beneath the Italian people.

Answer 2

Brabantio accuses Othello of making off with his daughter Desdemona and marrying her against her will, in effect raping her. However, it soon becomes apparent that Desdemona had freely consented to marry Othello and was not under the influence of a drug or other mysterious mind-altering substance.

Answer 3

If you are about to play the part of Othello, it is important to know how Othello reacts to what Brabantio has to say in Scenes 2 and 3 of the first act of the play. First, we look to the text. Brabantio is speaking wildly, making wild accusations "O thou foul thief!" and threatening to jail Othello. But Othello does not reply in kind. Some of the people want to fight but Othello says "Hold your hands . . . if it were my cue to fight, I should have known it without a prompter." The same applies in Scene 3, the trial before the Duke, where Brabantio accuses Othello of using some sort of magic to seduce Desdemona. Othello very calmly admits that he and Desdemona are married, and as for being under the influence of sorcery, he begs the court to question her personally. There is no sign of any anger, heat or even disrespect toward Brabantio. Othello is calm, courteous and reasonable. So, what does this tell us about what he is feeling? For if we are to think of an emotional subtext, it has to be one which is consistent with the dialogue. Uppermost in Othello's mind is that Brabantio is his father-in-law, a man who has frequently been a generous host to him, and a man who is dear to his wife Desdemona. He would not offend him for the world. At the same time, he does not consider Brabantio's ravings to be a serious threat to him. He knows that he is too important to be thrown in jail on a whim, and that Brabantio's accusations will be easily shown to be false to a judge who is unprejudiced, as he knows the Duke to be. Therefore he is not worried or angry about the situation, but hopes to resolve it in a way which will not widen the breach between Brabantio and himself. Unfortunately Brabantio's anger runs too deep, and the reasonable voice of the Duke does not wholly reconcile him to Othello and Desdemona, which must sadden them, but not to the extent that they would give each other up as a result.

Answer 4

Brabantio accuses Othello of using witchcraft to win Desdemona's love.