What Does The Handkerchief Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

There are many symbols in every work of literature, some of which are much more notable than others. The more obvious ones are those present in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter such as the rose-colored “A” on Hester’s chest, those present in Beowulf such as Heorot Hall, and those present in Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby such as the light fixated upon by Gatsby at the end of the dock. All of these pale in comparison, however, to Shakespeare’s use of symbolism in his many plays. Like many things during Shakespeare’s time, the aptly name Renaissance, the use of symbolism saw what can only be described as a rebirth through his plays. One key example, as seen in Othello, is the handkerchief, which changes hands many times throughout

The handkerchief, although appearing to the audience as a simple square piece of cloth, is, in reality, a symbol of love in the eyes of Othello, the jealousy that plagues Othello’s heart as the play progresses, and even Othello himself. As Stephen Hannaford puts it, “the handkerchief points to some more profound and less materially definable world outside the limits of the play… …something as indefinable as love” (Hannaford 474). In particular, the handkerchief symbolizes Othello’s view of love. The handkerchief was originally given by Othello’s father to Othello’s mother. This is evidenced by Othello referring to it as “an antique token my father gave my mother” (5.2.228-9). This, through the careful use of the words such as “token,” which means something that serves as a representation of a quality or feeling, establishes the handkerchief as a symbol of love in Othello’s eyes. Othello’s mother then, on her deathbed, gave the handkerchief to Othello with her final act on this earthly plane. With each exchange of hands, it can be seen that Othello’s handkerchief, and therefore his idea of what love is, becomes slowly, but surely, perverted. Othello’s first experience of love would

Something that the handkerchief does that very few symbols can even begin to fathom is evolve throughout the course of the play. As mentioned previously, the handkerchief symbolizes love both in a general sense as well as in the eyes of Othello. Iago becomes a cancerous growth in the body that is Othello’s well-being, affecting all that he cares for, including his love for Desdemona as is symbolized by Othello’s handkerchief. Because of this, the handkerchief inevitably becomes a symbol of the jealousy that consumes Othello. Andrew Sofer states that “Othello’s jealousy, once aroused, infects his interpretation of all subsequent events” (Sofer 369-370). This jealousy would ultimately consume Othello, culminating into his telling Desdemona “thou dost stone my heart, and mak’st me call what I intend to do a murder, which I thought a sacrifice” (5.2.71-3). In reality, it is not Desdemona’s betrayal that causes this great distress for Othello and those around him, but it is instead caused by the seed of jealousy that took root in Othello’s heart. It has now grown into this atrocious and man-eating floret that destroys everything in its path. This is what has become of this jealousy symbolized by the handkerchief. In addition to this, Othello’s handkerchief not only evolves throughout the duration of the play, but its evolution mirrors that of Othello and his relationship with