The Handkerchief In Othello Essay

The tragedy ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare, followed the tragic life of the main character, Othello. Shakespeare used symbolism of the handkerchief to show the fall of Othello. The handkerchief first appeared in act 3. The handkerchief caused relationships to fail throughout the play. The handkerchief began as the symbol of Othello and Desdemona’s love, but later became the symbol of death and deception in the book. Othello gave the handkerchief to Desdemona as a token of their everlasting love, it quickly became cherished. As much as it was a symbol of love it was also of deception and hate.

One of the most dominant examples of symbolism in the play is through the use of the handkerchief. As Othello gave it to Desdemona as a first gift, the handkerchief is a clear demonstration and used as the token of his love. The handkerchief has been passed through both Othello’s mum and his own wife therefore showing significance of all their loved combined. Showing how treasured love

In this play, the handkerchief that was given to Desdemona when the two got married was the very first gift that she received from Othello. When Othello gave the gift of the handkerchief to Desdemona it meant the world to her and she even went against her father’s wishes because she loved Othello and her dad thought he was wrong for his daughter. Desdemona lets her father know that she is bound to her father for the life that she has been given along with her education. Desdemona’s father gets upset when she tells him that her marriage to Othello fulfills her like her mother was fulfilled by her father (Bartels, “Strategies of Submission: Desdemona, the Duchess, and the Assertion of Desire”). She always kept this gift on her all the time because she felt like the gift symbolized how much Othello thought and loved her. Desdemona thought this because when Othello gave her the gift of the handkerchief, he told her that his mother used the handkerchief as a promise of her love and loyalty to Othello’s father. Othello went on to tell Desdemona that when his mother had the handkerchief and she would lose it or would give it out as a

Out of revenge , Iago successfully planted the seeds of jealousy into Othellos mind when Iago his wife, Emilia steal the strawberry embroieded handkerchief. The handkercheif was Othellos gift to Desdemona. Othello's mother got it from an egyptian sorceress who told her that it would make her desirable and keep Othello's dads loyalty. Othellos first gift of love to Desdemona was that same handkerchief. Othellos mother gave Othello that handkerchief while on her deathbed and ordered Othello to give it to the women he desired to marry. Desdemona valued the handkerchief. It was a symbol of a charmed gift givent to Othello and it represents Othellos mysterious and exotic heritage. More importantly to Othello it represents Desdemonas loyalty and

An artifact constant existential importance, artfully preserved with the help of young women's hearts. By the cloth just not the emotional nakedness Othello symbolizes, is not as thing symbolizing the overcoming of our own faithlessness and own self-alienation in Othello, it is the veil of the Apocalypse. The unveiling will not happen in Othello himself, but it is shifted to the outside world, what Desdemona presentational figured, with all the consequences, including death. Desdemona's name but referred to the love itself, the potential possibility of love as self-love, in Othello and in each of us. The world is silent and in silence, not despite but because of this possibility, they demanded us because we demand, standing at the bottom of the ideal. In this respect, Desdemona, as regards their second role of Dulcinea in Cervantes's novel "Don Quixote" equal. Only Othello is not Don

The handkerchief, where it first belonged to an Egyptian sorceress who gave it to his mother and said it would keep her desirable and keep her husband faithful. Before Othello’s mother passed away she passed the handkerchief down and told him to give it to the woman he would one day marry. The handkerchief represents Othello’s mixed Christian and Venetian heritage. So this means a lot to Othello as it is part of his family’s history, and symbolizes marital loyalty and faithfulness. The handkerchief is white which symbolizes purity, also the red strawberries symbolize beauty, fruitfulness and

Emilia and Desdemona were best friends and were always seen together. Dead or alive, Emilia was always alongside Desdemona. Emilia laid down Othello and Desdemona's wedding sheets. "I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed (Shakespeare 4.3.22). Emilia would do anything and everything to make Desdemona happy. Emilia placed the wedding sheets on the bed for Desdemona to try and make Othello happier and remember their wonderful wedding night . Othello was very angry with Desdemona because she lost his handkerchief whom he received from his mom. When in reality Desdemona dropped it and Iago stole it from Emilia and then Iago placed hankerchief in Cassio's bedroom. Othello was so angry about the lost hankerchief that he devised a plan

Thi hendkirchoif os sognofocent tu thi plut, meonly tu Iegu's menopaletoun uf Othillu end hos cunvoncong thi lettir uf Disdimune's onfodiloty. Muriuvir, ot shids loght uvir Iegu, Disdimune, Othillu end Emoloe's cherectirs, end os thas ompurtent tu cherectirosetoun. Thi symbuloc sognofocenci ettechid tu thi hendkirchoif riviels Othillu's sucoel beckgruand, hos trietmint uf Disdimune end thi lettir's fiilongs tuwerds hir hasbend.

In the beginning Othello is seen as a calm collected man when put into an awkward situation, such as being ridiculed by his wife’s father in thinking that Othello has used some sort of magic to gain Desdemona 's infection. Othello’s calm collected ways start to deteriorate after he is convinced by Iago, a deceiving evil man that Desdemona has slept with Cassio. Othello’s self control no longer exist once he is fully convinced that it is in fact true that Desdemona has been unfaithful. His sense of what is real and what is not real is thrown out the window. Othello starts to become extremely jealous of his used to be beloved Cassio, and after considering giving back his spot as liternuanat he denies him that. He starts to become cold and distant towards his wife, and starts to call her out of her name. As Othello continues to lose control the people around him start to doubt his abilities of being able to protect Cyprus, and even his wife starts to doubt him, and agree with her father. No one knows who this man is anymore, he has started to act in an insanely matter. He can longer be his true self and take on the responsibilities of being general as he starts to crack. With Othello being faced with evil, him being calm is no longer an option for him because he can’t face the fact that the person he loves so dearly is cheating on him. Going back the they handkerchief, the symbol of his love for her. Othello seeing Cassio with Desdemona’s handkerchief sets him over the edge becoming truly convinced that his wife has betrayed him. Even when Desdemona and her maid Emila, Iago’s wife, has told him countless times that she has not been unfaithful, he is so far gone from reality that he does not believe either one of them. With the state of mind he’s in he cannot bear the thought of another man touching his wife. Othello and Iago plan to kill Cassio and Desdemona. After he

From this point on, Othello insecurity manifests into a seemingly irrational fear of being cuckolded, and his self-perceived worth diminishes exponentially. Othello comments on the likelihood of Desdemona cheating, by explaining how it may be “for [he is] black / And have not those soft parts of conversation / That chamberers have…” (3.3.280-282) Othello’s frustration with the threat of being cuckolded puts strain on his relationship with Desdemona, and she quickly becomes a victim of domestic abuse. For example, Othello acts as an interrogator, demanding to see the handkerchief which he gave her that symbolizes faithfulness and commitment towards Othello. (Quotation) When she is unable to produce their symbol of trust, Othello’s anger manifests inside him. The audience is shown a stark contrast to Othello’s typically cool, collected and composted nature. This abrupt and irrational change in behaviour is emphasized when Othello strikes Desdemona in front of Lordovico, (4.1.245) Othello’s