Question

Of all of the symbols in the play, Desdemona’s handkerchief is likely the most important. Trace the path of the handkerchief, starting before the play begins, and concluding with the role it plays through Act V. Who had it? In what order? What does it mean to each of the characters involved?

Answer 1

We can trace the path of the handkerchief and what it means to each of the characters in the following way:

In "Othello", a certain handkerchief has great importance and helps advance the plot:

1. It is said to have been embroidered by an Egyptian sibyl, who gave it to Othello's mother, claiming that the handkerchief would make her husband faithful to her.

2. Othello's mother than gave the handkerchief to Othello, to whom it comes to represent faithfulness, fidelity. Othello gives it as a gift to Desdemona, his wife.

3. To Desdemona, the handkerchief is a symbol of Othello's love, and she takes it wherever she goes. However, Emilia, her maid, steals it. Emilia's husband, Iago, knows what the handkerchief means to Othello and plans to use it to destroy the man.

4. To Iago, the handkerchief means the power to destroy Othello, whom he sees as his enemy. He places the handkerchief in Cassio's room to make Othello believe his wife and Cassio are having an affair.

5. To Cassio, the handkerchief does not represent anything special. It is just a beautiful object, and he gives it to a prostitute, Bianca, so that she will make a copy of it.

6. To Bianca, the handkerchief symbolizes Cassio's affection for another woman. She gives it back to Cassio when Othello is present, which leads Othello to killing his wife.

7. Finally, Emilia gets the handkerchief and decides to tell Othello the true story about it being stolen, but it is now too late. Desdemona is dead.

• "Othello" is a tragic play by William Shakespeare. The main character, Othello, is emotionally poisoned by Iago.

• Iago is a jealous man. He believes Othello might have had an affair with his wife.

• He is also angry because Othello made Cassio lieutenant instead of him.

• To destroy Othello and Cassio, Iago makes Othello believe that Othello's wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with Cassio.

• The handkerchief mentioned above is pivotal to make that happen. In the end, Othello kills Desdemona, only to find out immediately afterward that his jealousy was the product of a lie.

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