Desdemona’s Handkerchief in Othello Essay - 891 Words

In Shakespeare’s play Othello, one of the main character’s Desdemona possesses the most essential symbol and object in the play, a handkerchief. The handkerchief appears in Act III of the play and is a particularly important part in the plot of the play. It helps weave the entire story together. The handkerchief symbolizes Othello’s love and trust to Desdemona and Desdemona’s marital fidelity to Othello. The first symbol of the handkerchief is Desdemona’s marital fidelity. In the play, Iago gives the only description of the handkerchief when he says to Othello, Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief / Spotted with strawberries in your wifes hand (III.iii.434-435)? The handkerchief is white with a pattern of strawberries in the†¦show more content†¦Iago sees the handkerchief as a way of finally being able to get to Othello. Iago feels that the handkerchief is a symbol of Desdemona’s faith to Othello. By obtaining this symbol of he r faith, he is able to deploy his plan of revenge against Othello. Othello discovers that the handkerchief is missing and becomes very angry with Desdemona. When Desdemona looses her handkerchief, Othello believes she is unfaithful. Othello sees Cassio with the handkerchief and accepts it as confirmation of Desdemonas infidelity. The handkerchief also represents Othello’s love and trust in Desdemona. Othello has an obsession with the handkerchief because of its history. It carries a significant amount of meaning and is extremely important to him. He tells Desdemona about the history of the handkerchief and how his mother used it to keep his father faithful to her: That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give. She was a charmer, and could almost read The thoughts of people. She told her, while she kept it, Twould make her amiable and subdue my father Entirely to her love; but if she lost it Or made gift of it, my father’s eye Should hold her loathed, and his spirits should hunt After new fancies. She, dying, gave it me, And bid me, when my fate would have me wived; To give it her. I did so, and take heed on ’t; Make it aShow MoreRelatedOthello s Othello By William Shakespeare848 Words   |  4 Pages Desdemona’s Passivity [In the Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello†] Desdemona is a passive character in the Shakespeare play â€Å"Othello†. We can identify this as a fault in Desdemona, in various acts and scenes throughout the play. A critic had stated that â€Å"Desdemona is passive, acted upon rather than acting.† This is a valid statement which is noticeable in Desdemona’s character. When Desdemona argues Cassio’s position that Othello stripped from him. We see from this that she could have actedRead MoreWhos Responsible for Desdemonas Death? 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Althoug h Iago and Othello contribute heavily to the final result of the tragedy:Read MoreTragedy is mostly seen in characters pure and innocent. The deaths of those whom are innocent have800 Words   |  4 Pagesdeserve their unfortunate fates. Desdemona is the heart of Iago’s plan and her loyalty to Othello eventually leads to her death bed. Emilia’s husband is the villain she hates, but giving him the one item he needs dooms everyone. Othello falls into Iago’s plan as soon as his fatal flaw of jealousy comes into play. In the tragic play Othello, by William Shakespeare, the innocent characters Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello are lead to their demise because they are manipulated into trusting Iago. Desdemona