The handkerchief in Othello, plays a significant role throughout the entire play affecting many characters in the story. For such a small item, it has a tremendous amount of value. Without the handkerchief, the main plot of the story would not be the same. The handkerchief is not the direct plot, but to be such a small object, it creates an extremely important detail. In the beginning of the play, the handkerchief is used mostly in a positive way and its definition to every character is positive. Towards the end, the handkerchief becomes even more important but for each character it affects, it brings a negative connotation.
For Othello, the handkerchief has two different meanings. In the beginning of the play, it is a sign of the past. The handkerchief was given to Othello by his mother and it was given to his mother by an Egyptian and has a mystical meaning to it. It would keep his father faithful and his mother knew of this. Othello’s mother gave it to him and told him as long as his woman had it, she would be faithful too (Andrews 1) . Othello values it to an
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I would say the handkerchief was equally important to Othello as it was to Iago. Iago had a plot from the very beginning of the play. He planned to take out Michael Cassio as Othello’s right hand man because he was jealous and felt that he deserved to be fulfill that position. Iago is a very interesting and strong character in the play, as he dominates almost everyone to be a part of his plot without even knowing what he is up to. No one knew about Iago’s plot, except Rodrigo, who was in love with Desdemona. Iago promised Rodrigo that if he would help him get Cassio fired, he would have a chance with Desdemona. Rodrigo listened to Iago and as a result of that got killed when Iago backfired and killed him. Iago had two sides to his personality. He faked to be such a good man to everyone, while behind their back he was killing them
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
At the beginning of the action, the two ladies relationship furthers the plot by creating a circumstance in which Desdemona’s handkerchief goes missing. Desdemona’s most valued token of Othello’s love is a supposedly magic handkerchief that belonged to his mother and Desdemona keeps it with her at all times. When she drops it Emilia swipes it to try to please her husband, Iago. By stealing the handkerchief Emilia unwittingly sets in motion Iago’s scheme that will eventually lead to the death of herself, Othello, and her beloved Desdemona. Without this handkerchief Iago’s scheme would never work because it is the only piece of substantial proof of Desdemona's infidelity can use to convince Othello. Therefore, without Desdemona and Emilia's close friendship there would be no plot. Toward the end of the play, Emilia and Desdemona’s relationship becomes crucial to the plot again. After Othello kills Desdemona Emilia is the one who puts together the facts and unearths Iago’s scheme, risking her own life to do so. After witnessing Desdemona’s death Emilia says, “O thou dull Moor, that handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune, and did give my husband- for often, with a solemn earnestness he begged of me to steal ‘t”(5.2.267-272). At the threat of her own death she revealed Iago’s treachery and concluded the plot by explaining how Iago’s scheming led to the death of four different people. Without Emilia’s proximity to Desdemona she would never have been able to take the handkerchief and her knowledge of Iago and Desdemona’s natures made her the only character able to uncover Iago’s scheme. Certainly, Desdemona’s close relationship and differing characters were essential to the plot of the
Through his suggestion to Cassio, Iago can now be certain that Cassio will entreat Desdemona to petition for him with Othello. Cassio does implore Desdemona and she responds, “Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do all my abilities in thy behalf” (Act III Scene III). Iago manages to obtain the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona that had strawberry patterns on it form Bianca. He then tells Othello to ask for the handkerchief and if she doesn’t produce it, than she must be cheating on him. Iago also manipulates the undeserving devotion of Emilia. We learn at the end of the play that Iago “begg’d of me to steal it” of Emilia. Like Desdemona’s good nature, Iago exploits his own wife for his malicious revenge. The handkerchief was the final straw for
Throughout history, powerful empires with boundless control have had a tendency to fall victim to corruption. It is common knowledge, among political scientists and historians, that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. William Shakespeare's "Othello, the Moor of Venice" (reprinted in Laurence Perrine and Thomas R. Arp, Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 6th ed. [Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1993] 1060-1147) contains several themes, but one theme in particular supports the truth of this knowledge. In "Othello, the Moor of Venice," the theme of control is one that causes corruption. Othello's control is stolen by Iago and, Iago's overbearing control of Othello's emotions causes chaos and absence of control until Lodovico arrives at the end of the story.
Iago finished his argument with the declaration; “But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve, for daws to peck at,” I am not what I am” (I.I.66-67). Iago metaphorically personifies that “wearing your heart on your sleeve” is a precarious move because if your true intentions are visible, it weakens you to allow you to be the target of attack. However, in literal meanings, humans are metaphorically symbolised as ‘birds’ to contrast the nature of human behaviour to animals. Iago’s metaphorical statement “I am not what I am” alludes to the biblical connotations in the bible, chapter Exodus 4:14 when Moses asks for God’s name in which God strongly responded back “I AM WHAT I AM” which opposes to Iago’s open declaration, to reference him to be the devil for acquiring villainous traits and motives. The dominant implementation of the handkerchief was the most significant motif of the play as it rapidly endured different meanings, from a love token to represent Desdemona’s and Othello’s marriage bond to Desdemona’s sudden fatality. The handkerchief was a vital element for Iago manipulative schemes because he knew the importance of the sentimental value, to which he used it to manipulate it to symbolise Desdemona’s chastity and fidelity. Iago’s purpose of the handkerchief was to be a mere suspicion and a circumstantial evidence strong enough to feed Othello’s
...demona’s handkerchief was the main object and symbol that was known for betrayal. In result, Iago had been the primary reason why we experience betrayal in the play. Due to Othello giving away the handkerchief was a sign for his affection to his beloved wife. In addition, it then moves from person onto the next person which was caused by Iago. Once Othello becomes jealous it makes it act on as an illusion since Desdemona. She had been faithful the entire time during their marriage and thinks that she has been cheating on him. The people Iago had betrayed with this handkerchief were: Othello, Emila, Cassio, and Desdemona. Furthermore, it was intended to have significance as a symbol of sacred trust. It was known as the “pledge of love” to Desdemona.
He suspects that Othello and Emilia have been together intimately. He then seeks revenge on the Moor; in the process, he uses his own wife as an accomplice. This leads to, the case of the missing handkerchief! Emilia is completely naive and without any suspicion she never suspects that Iago envies the Moor and will use the handkerchief to deceive him. When Emilia says: I am glad I have found this napkin!
Nick Potter states: “Othello is a tragedy of incomprehension, not at the level of intrigue but at the deepest level of human dealings. No one in Othello comes to understand himself or anyone else.” Within Shakespeare’s Othello, no character fully understands themselves of one another. This is especially true in human dealings, where the intentions of characters and how others interpret them are often misaligned. Conflict, and eventually, tragedy arises in Othello due to the incomprehension between characters, as well as within the characters themselves. From the reader’s perspective, it is tragic to understand the reality behind all the incomprehension, since the characters are oblivious to what the readers are aware of.
Continuing Act three, Scene three, Othello feels the beginning of a headache. Desdemona offers Othello a handkerchief to ease the pain upon Othello’s forehead. The handkerchief is a gift from Othello to Desdemona as a symbol of the love shared by Othello and Desdemona. In Othello’s pain the handkerchief falls from Othello’s hand and Emilia steals the handkerchief. Iago uses the characters of the play as pawns, including wife Emilia. Jealousy is the fuel and the handkerchief is the spark. With the handkerchief in Iago’s possession, Iago can continue to spin the web of lies and deceit. Iago plans to leave the handkerchief in Cassio’s lodgings to further support the suspicion of Desdemona’s infidelity.
Iago intends to orchestrate the demise of Cassio and Othello. On the surface, winning a promotion was the catalyst for Iago’s rage but bringing down only Cassio does not satisfy his bloodthirsty rage. Although Iago is cunning and ruthless in his pursuit to ruin Othello, the plot spins out of his control and only gains traction when his wife, Emilia unknowingly helps him. At this point Iago is poised to fail but the possession of Desdemona’s handkerchief provides a key piece of “ocular proof (Shakespeare)” that Othello requires to be convinced of Desdemona’s infidelity. Iago loses control of the situation. His stated purpose is to suppl...
...o he murders his wife. Then, he does not want to be made to look like a murderer so he begs to be remembered as a different man than the one he actually is. In the midst of trying to save his reputation, Othello reveals his subconscious fears of not being accepted and always looking like a foreigner no matter what he accomplishes. Out of all his accomplishments in the military, Othello wants to be remembered for one specific story – the time he saved a Venetian from being abused by a Turk. It is as if he is forcefully portraying himself as a contributing member of Venice by saying that he protected it from outside forces. At the same time, he equates himself to the Turk and kills himself in the same way he killed the Turk. Othello, in trying to save his reputation, loses everything he has ever cared about or worked for – Desdemona, his reputation, and his career.
Already there is a high importance to the handkerchief in the start of the story. This being due to the fact that it originally came from Othello’s mother. The reason it is also seem to be placed on a pedestal is because it is believed by Othello to possess magical powers. He had been told that it was woven by a 200-year-old sibyl also known as an Egyptian charmer. The process was done by using the silk from sacred worms, and the dye from mummified virgin hearts. Later being given to his mother; who he claims used it to keep his father from being unfaithful to her. This further illustrates Othello’s fixed perspective of the handkerchief, and the value of fidelity that it holds within it. When he presents Desdemona with the handkerchief, he expects nothing but love and faithfulness in return. The handkerchief, as mentioned, does give a variety of meanings to each of the characters as it falls into each of their hands throughout the entire story. So for Desdemona, the strawberry embroidered handkerchief, means nothing but Oth...
'” (III,3,2092) This psychological strategy angers Othello to no end. Othello has been jealous of Cassio (who is everything that Othello is not: white, Christian, young). This shows that Iago is very clever: he first uses psychological plants before he moves to physical evidence. When Othello demands ocular proof, Iago brings out the handkerchief, the magical symbol of Othello 's manhood and source of his jealousy: “I know not that; but such a handkerchief I am sure it was your wife 's--did I to-day
Othello main concerns when confronted with the actions of his wife are his heart. Othello is self-conscious, often presenting himself as an outsider. He is in a position of power that would not be expected of someone of his nationality. For this reason many people dislike him and think less of him. Othello reflects other people’s views of himself in...
Othello gives this to his wife Desdemona. This symbolizes their relationship. When Othello is unwell Desdemona goes to wipe his face and Othello lets it drop to the floor. He then states, “your napkin is to little”(III.iii.289). When they leave Emilia enters and picks up the handkerchief to keep. She continues to state how her husband has been trying to get ahold of this item. When Emilia retrieves it to him, Iago immediately starts to come up with a plan to ruin Othello’s marriage. Iago is so manipulative the he makes Othello believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio without any actual proof. Iago willingly destroys the relationship between Othello and Desdemona without feeling any guilt. He goes to Cassio and gives him the item as evidence to break up Othello and Desdemona. To Othello the handkerchief was valuable because it was the first gift he gave Desdemona. When Iago spreads the word out about her cheating, Othello demands for the handkerchief back. She does not have the item and attempts to change the subject. Othello demands “Fetch me the handkerchief: my mind misgives”, (III.iv.84) then she states “Come, come: you’ll never meet a more sufficient man” (III.iv.86). Othello is overwhelmed and walks