The handkerchief is significant to the plot, mainly to Iago's manipulation of Othello and his convincing the latter of Desdemona Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello. Shakespeare's Desdemona is a Venetian beauty who enrages and disappoints her father, a Venetian senator, when she elopes with Othello, a Moorish man several years her senior. When her husband is deployed t…Desdemona
What does a handkerchief symbolize?
At its most sensual, the handkerchief was a symbol of either marital fidelity – handkerchiefs are still given at weddings for luck – or courtship, with embroidered messages and imagery being added to handkerchiefs between men and women in a sort of antediluvian form of sexting.
Why is the handkerchief so important to Othello quizlet?
Because Othello gave it to Desdemona as a first gift, the handkerchief functions as a token of his love, which Desdemona cherishes (3.3. 1). The handkerchief symbolizes Desdemona's fidelity. When it shows up in Cassio's possession, Othello is convinced that Desdemona is unfaithful.
What does the handkerchief symbolize to Iago?
The handkerchief, which once symbolized love and loyalty, now means betrayal. Iago brings Cassio to Desdemona, and they discuss Othello's anger.
What does Othello say was used to dye the handkerchief?
What does Othello say, was used to dye the handkerchief? blood from virgins' hearts. How does Iago trick Cassio into confirming the fictional affair with Desdemona?
How does the handkerchief function in Act 4 Othello?
In Act IV, the handkerchief falls to the ground and Iago picks it up; this is showing that love is lost and that now Iago is in control of manipulating Othello's feelings. Why is the handkerchief so important to Othello? The handkerchief represents Othello's love for Desdemona.
How is the dropping of the handkerchief ironic?
He convinces him that Desdemona could never love him. How is the dropping of the handkerchief ironic? The handkerchief represents their love, and in dropping it, the love is gone.
Is the handkerchief magic in Othello?
To Othello, the handkerchief symbolises Desdemona's honour. The mythic qualities that Othello endows it with represent the Moor himself. The 'magic in the web' (line 71) of the handkerchief represents the 'magic' of Othello and Desdemona's marriage, which has been destroyed by Iago.
What does the handkerchief symbolize in Othello Act 3?
More immediately, to Othello the handkerchief represents Desdemona's chastity, and her giving it away is a sign that she has given her body away. In Act III, scene iii, Iago mentions that the handkerchief's much-discussed embroidery is a design of strawberries.
How is dropping the handkerchief ironic?
He convinces him that Desdemona could never love him. How is the dropping of the handkerchief ironic? The handkerchief represents their love, and in dropping it, the love is gone.
How did the handkerchief confirm Othello doubts about Desdemona's infidelity?
Othello had given Desdemona the handkerchief upon their marriage as a token of his love and loyalty to her. Othello begins to suspect that Desdemona had been unfaithful with Cassio and upon seeing Cassio with the handkerchief, he is firm in his belief that she gave her loyalty away.
What does Iago plan to do with the handkerchief?
What does Iago plan to do with the handkerchief? Iago's going to put the handkerchief in Cassio's home. He tells him that Cassio was talking in his sleep about some type of intimate relationship between Cassio and Desdemona.
Who had the handkerchief at the end of Act III Why?
Who had the handkerchief at the end of Act III? Why? Cassio gave it to Bianca, his prostitute friend, for her to take out the design.
Why is the handkerchief important to Othello?
No doubt, the handkerchief is important. It signifies faithfulness in marriage. That is why Othello is so upset. When he thinks that Desdemona has given the handkerchief to Cassio, Othello is enraged. He is consumed with jealousy. He cannot comprehend that Desdemona would do such a thing yet Iago has proof that the handkerchief was found in Cassio's home.
What is the meaning of the handkerchief in Othello?
In Othello, the handkerchief is quite significant. It is symbolic for faithfulness in marriage. It was given to Othello by his mother. She explained the meaning behind it. In Act 3, Scene 4, Othello relates that meaning to Desdemona:
What does the handkerchief mean in Desdemona?
It carries symbolic meaning. The message behind the handkerchief indicates that Desdemona has been careless and unfaithful in her marriage to Othello.
Who is the handkerchief in Othello?
The handkerchief in Shakespeare’s Othello belongs to Desdemona, Othello’s wife. This accessory is an example of rich symbolism in Shakespeare’s writings. It has a lot of various meanings that change throughout the play. From a symbol of loyalty, it became a symbol of betrayal, utter confusion, conspiracy, and death.
What does Desdemona do to relieve Othello's worries?
Desdemona sees that her husband is anxious. She tries to show her love and relieve Othello from his worries. She is trying to wipe the sweat from Othello’s forehead with the handkerchief. The man rejects the concern and throws it away.
What is the story behind Desdemona's exploits?
The quivering and innocent Desdemona is impressed by the exploits of the Moor. Behind external unattractiveness, the woman discerned Othello’s strong will and fearlessness. Desdemona herself takes the first step and confesses her feelings to the general. Lovers secretly get married. The Moor gives his young wife a present: a handkerchief that Othello got from his mother. According to legend, a beautiful thing will keep love and happiness in the family hearth. In act 3, scene 4, Othello says:
What does Othello believe in Desdemona?
Being influenced by Iago’s rumors, Othello believes in Desdemona’s betrayal. When Desdemona attempts to refresh his forehead with her handkerchief, his gift, he throws it away in anger. Iago’s wife, Emilia, picks up the handkerchief. The loss of the gift was a crucial moment in the fate of Desdemona. Realizing its loss, she exclaims:
Does Cassio know whose handkerchief it is?
Cassio does not know whose handkerchief it is and takes it for himself. Othello can barely curb his jealousy, but demands from Iago proof of Desdemona’s adultery. Iago claims to have heard Cassio whispering Desdemona’s name in his sleep. He also noticed Desdemona’s handkerchief at Cassio’s. So, Iago manages to drive Othello to frenzy.
What does the handkerchief represent in Othello?
The handkerchief, a gift to Desdemona from Othello, symbolizes so much more than a mere token of affection. To Othello, the handkerchief symbolizes fidelity and his giving it to Desdemona represents a promise that he will be true to her, and a request that she stay true to him.
What is the significance of the handkerchief in Desdemona?
Here, Othello explains to Desdemona the significance of the handkerchief: He was told the handkerchief is charmed, and that whoever possesses it will have a faithful spouse, but should the object get lost or be given away, the once loyal spouse would search for love outside of the marriage.
What happens after Desdemona handkerchief is handed over to Iago?
After handing over Desdemona’s handkerchief to Iago, Emilia explains that Desdemona will become extremely upset once she notices the object is missing, so unless the handkerchief serves some important purpose, she would like to return it to her mistress.
What does Desdemona say to Emilia about Othello?
Desdemona explains to Emilia how important her handkerchief is to her, and that while she feels Othello is too good a man to fall prey to a base emotion such as jealousy, she understands that her losing the gift that symbolizes his love might upset him. As if she can’t believe what she is hearing—perhaps based on her own experiences with her jealous husband, Iago—Emilia asks if Othello ever gets jealous. Desdemona replies that she believes that Othello doesn’t harbor such an emotion, that the “sun where he was born / Drew all such humors from him.” Ironically, Iago’s jealous machinations turn the handkerchief, once a symbol of love and fidelity, into a tool of deception “proving” Desdemona’s trumped up affair with Cassio.
What is the meaning of Iago's handkerchief?
As a jealous man, Othello invests the handkerchief with great meaning. Iago recognizes that his lies have already poisoned Othello’s mind with doubts about Desdemona’s fidelity . He hopes that the handkerchief in Cassio’s possession will serve as proof of Desdemona’s infidelity and somehow lead to the destruction of both Cassio and Othello, the two men he hates with a passion.
What does Othello mean by manipulating Desdemona?
Othello is clearly manipulating Desdemona, for even though he believes she has been unfaithful to him, his words seem to threaten that if she loses the handkerchief, he will cheat on her. Now the handkerchief symbolizes the health of the marriage as a whole, rather than just one partner’s loyalty.
What does Iago think of Desdemona's fidelity?
Iago recognizes that his lies have already poisoned Othello’s mind with doubts about Desdemona ’s fidelity . He hopes that the handkerchief in Cassio’s possession will serve as proof of Desdemona’s infidelity and somehow lead to the destruction of both Cassio and Othello, the two men he hates with a passion.
What does the handkerchief mean in Othello?
Iago knows that the handkerchief has great meaning to Othello which would make him very angry if he finds out that his wife no longer has it. The handkerchief represents different things for many characters in the play. The main significance of the handkerchief is Othello’s’ love for Desdemona, it is his first gift to her and later in ...
What act does Othello mention the handkerchief?
The handkerchief is mentioned in act 5 when Desdemona dies. Othello defends the fact he killed his wife because of her unfaithfulness and that the Handkerchief was in Cassio’s hands was the proof. Emilia is thrown out of proportion and tells the truth that she gave it to her husband and that Iago, not Desdemona, gave the handkerchief to.
Why is Othello ill thinking?
Othello has been already “ill thinking” because when he arrives in the scene he makes a trap for his wife to give him the blanket, saying, “I have salt and sorry rheum offends me; / lend me thy handkerchief.”. By losing the handkerchief Desdemona knows that he will have hatred towards her.
What does Desdemona say to Othello when she loses the handkerchief?
By losing the handkerchief Desdemona knows that he will have hatred towards her. Desdemona lies to Othello saying “it is not lost; but what an if it were?” she believes that she has misplaced the handkerchief somewhere else but Othello already comes to a conclusion that she is having an affair with Cassio.
Why does Desdemona feel guilty about losing the handkerchief?
Desdemona feels guilty about losing the handkerchief and is glad that “my noble moor/ is true of mind and made of no such baseness/As jealous creatures are,” because the loss of the handkerchief might be “enough/ To put him to ill thinking.”. Othello has been already “ill thinking” because when he arrives in the scene he makes a trap ...
How does Iago make Othello believe Desdemona is cheating on him?
Iago continues to make Othello believe that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio by spreading rumors and setting up Cassio in order to make it look like Desdemona and Cassio are together. When Iago finds the handkerchief that Othello presented to Desdemona, he says: “I have use for it. Go, leave me.
What happens in Othello?
The scene that this happens in Othello happens to be eavesdropping. Othello since that moment believes that he has seen the handkerchief with his own eyes and it is the proof he needs to know that Cassio is sleeping with Desdemona. The handkerchief is mentioned in act 5 when Desdemona dies. Othello defends the fact he killed his wife because ...
What does the handkerchief in Othello mean?
THE HANDKERCHIEF IN OTHELLO: MEANING & SYMBOLISM#N#In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the symbolism of Desdemona’s handkerchief is central to the play’s tragic dénouement. Mentioned over 30 times within the text, the item is both distinct in design — white, and dotted with images of strawberries — and imbued with a deep history. Othello’s first gift to his wife, it was woven using silk from sacred worms, and dye extracted from the hearts of mummified virgins. It was originally a gift from Othello’s father to his mother, and was subsequently presented to Desdemona as a token of their love and fidelity. This backstory imbues the handkerchief with added meaning and symbolic value, rendering it more like a precious artefact than a mere piece of cloth.
What is the significance of the handkerchief scene in Othello?
It symbolises the love and marital fidelity between the couple, but later becomes a sinister weapon in Desdemona's demise.
What was Othello's first gift to his wife?
Othello’s first gift to his wife, it was woven using silk from sacred worms, and dye extracted from the hearts of mummified virgins. It was originally a gift from Othello’s father to his mother, and was subsequently presented to Desdemona as a token of their love and fidelity.
What is the meaning of the handkerchief?
WITHIN TRADITIONAL MEDIEVAL and renaissance poetry, the handkerchief is a powerful symbol of a woman’s romantic favour. This is well denoted within the cultural practice of old in which a lady would deliberately drop the item for a knight to retrieve and keep as a token of her affection.
Who plays Desdemona in Othello?
THE DEADLY HANDKERCHIEF: Swiss actress Irène Jacob as Desdemona in the 1995 movie adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Othello'. The handkerchief becomes a false symbol of her infidelity towards Othello.
What is the catalyst for the Moor's brutal murder of his wife Desdemona?
IN SHAKESPEARE'S Othello a handkerchief becomes the catalyst for the Moor's brutal murder of his wife Desdemona. How could a simple piece of cloth have such a deadly impact? By Ben Arogundade. [May.13.2016]
