The Role of the Handkerchief

• 

In the reading “Othello“, of Folger Digital Texts, the handkerchief is a symbol of love that an Egyptian women had gave to Othello’s father and gifted to his mother. The handkerchief was said to be the “sign” that having it will mean that their love will prosper and losing it will mean that the love will not last. This handkerchief has already been given the meaning of something that will hold something important that Othello has engraved in his mind. The handkerchief was also the first gift that Othello had given to Desdemona. This means that the handkerchief has a special meaning to him. 

This handkerchief may be a small piece of cloth, but for Othello, the story behind the handkerchief would be something that he truly believed in for it to have been the first gift he gave to Desdemona. This cloth meant the connection of Othello and Desdemona’s love for each other which held a special meaning to Othello. In the character Iago’s mind, he is capable of reading Othello’s mind and knows that the handkerchief is something important to the love of both Othello and Desdemona. This has made Iago to use the handkerchief to destroy the trust and love in the relationship. 

With Iago playing with Othello’s mind by bringing up the handkerchief, it made Othello to feel concerned and worry about being betrayed. 

The cloth is the reason that made Othello to feel more concerned and riled up on the trust that he has for Desdemona, the one that he loves. Iago has known what the handkerchief will make him achieve. Also, from the story of the handkerchief, the lost handkerchief which was caused by Iago will be the main plot of taking “revenge” onto Othello.

The handkerchief is the object that Iago uses to take on his revenge. Since the cloth has a story to it, is believed, and is the first gift to Desdemona, Iago knows this and will start his schemes. The handkerchief is a sign of their love just like how wedding rings or gifts to one another are meant to married couples today. But in the play and reading, Othello was the one that laid the handkerchief on the bed.  

This is the beginning of the bigger crisis that has been a big concern to the characters that Iago was making a scheme altogether. Everyone did not know that the handkerchief would  be causing such a big problem. Othello and Desdemona had not realized or remember that he has misplaced the handkerchief. Emilia also did not know that the handkerchief, which was forgotten at the moment would cause so much trouble and for getting the piece of cloth to Iago, she thought that she may be in favor to him. Nobody knew what Iago is up to in his schemes that he was planning.

In not knowing this, the handkerchief was thought to be given away to Casio by Desdemona which has caused Iago to be succeeding in his revenge. Othello has told Iago that he wanted proof to be able to see that Casio and Desdemona has something going on between them. Because of this, Iago knows how to scheme and make Othello to see the proof needed to make Othello to loose in trust. The time when Othello saw the proof of the handkerchief that Bianca came in with, that has made Othello to understand that Desdemona was betraying him, which was a scheme only. The thought that Desdemona gave Casio the handkerchief has made him to believe that the love symbol of the cloth of Othello has been replaced to Casio. The story of the handkerchief by Othello’s parents would thought to become even more true which was already believed by Othello.

This has led Othello to misunderstand and has killed Desdemona so she may not be able to betray other men again. Because of a piece of cloth, which Othello viewed as the only proof, he has lost trust in Desdemona and anything that she had to say. This handkerchief was the object that led Othello to be a madman. 

The handkerchief is a symbol that would be understood with everyone if they all knew that it was what Othello had given to Desdemona, but not everyone knows what the handkerchief looks like and what it meant. With not knowing what it looks like, Iago can deceive the other characters so easily with the piece of cloth. The handkerchief was only known to Desdemona and Othello more personally which resembled their love for each other. Both Othello and Desdemona has shown their love and everyone has seen it but not everyone knows about the story of the handkerchief which was a big part of them both. Iago has read through this and knew that the gift between both Othello and Desdemona will make their love and trust to “fall.” The handkerchief which was a little bit of being in suspense was the object that have aided in making “problems” to occur.

    Sources 

allegra1979. “Othello (1995).” YouTube, YouTube, 18 Apr. 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgQ5Q2eE84c.

“Folger Shakespeare Library.” Othello from Folger Digital Texts. Ed. Barbara Mowat, Paul Werstine, Michael Poston, and Rebecca Niles. Folger Shakespeare Library, 6 December, 2018.

sunshineandaisies. “Othello (1995) Handkerchief Accusation.” YouTube, YouTube, 31 Oct. 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ajdQBCQT8M.

“The Egyptian’s Warning: Desdemona’s European Handkerchief in Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’.” Hobbinol’s Blog, 11 Sept. 2013, hobbinol.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/the-egyptians-warning-desdemonas-european-handkerchief-in-shakespeares-othello/

“Who Really Lost Othello’s Handkerchief?” Shakespeare for All Time, 27 Apr. 2016, http://www.shakespeareforalltime.com/lost-handkerchief/.