Pushani 1

Frosilda Pushani

Mrs. Springer

AP English Literature & Composition

9 January 2017

A Napkin, a Token, of Affection, of Deception

Like many of his tragic plays, Shakespeare presents a dominant symbolic figure that

ultimately leads to the plays tragic denouement. In Shakespeares The Tragedy of Othello, this

dominant symbol is the embroidered handkerchief. This small piece of cloth is both distinct in

design and imbued with a deep history. Throughout the play, the handkerchief plays a significant

role with each character as it transforms in its symbolic meaning and leads to the downfall of

each fragile relationship.

The tragedy of Othello, to a great extent, is the result of an outwardly innocent mistake.

Desdemona, in an attempt to ease her husbands headache, offers to wrap his head in the

handkerchief he gifted to her. Othello rejects the handkerchief and therefore the magical powers

of love for the handkerchief is a token of both love and fidelity (Hodgson). Furthermore,

Desdemonas failure to realize that Othello has dropped the small napkin suggests that she is

more concerned about the real object of her love (Hodgson). Early on in the play, Brabantio,

Desdemonas father, is introduced. He warns Othello that since she has deceived her father,

[she] may thee (1.3.287). Othello is confident in his beloveds love for he asks her to speak

publicly about her true feelings. However, this confession acts as a reassurance to Othello who

is not truly confident of Desdemonas love because the Moor is constantly reminded that he is

the black outsider and foreigner in this white society. When Brabantio accuses him of a foul
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thief and the holder of his deceiving daughters affection, he places the first seed of suspicion

that his wife may not truly love him.

When the jealous Iago learns about the meaning and symbolism of the handkerchief in

Othellos and Desdemonas relationship, he uses it to manipulate their love and carry out his

diabolic plans. Noticing the handkerchief has fallen, Emilia, Iagos wife, picks it up as she knows

it is precious to Desdemona. Emilia is aware that the napkin was Othellos first gift to

Desdemona and that she keeps it with her to kiss and talk to (3.3.296). Emilia confesses that

her husband, Iago, has been begging her to steal it, so she tells herself shell simply make a copy

and return the napkin; however, when Iago appears, she spontaneously tells him she has found

the handkerchief, failing to make that key copy. Iago snatches it from her and refuses to answer

her questions about it, which, unlike Desdemona, indicates he values the token of love rather

than the real object that is his wifes affection.

Iago begins his plans of destructing Othellos faith in his wife by innocently

questioning Desdemonas and Cassios relationship. He continues his campaign of abuse through

a more protracted and strikingly more successful series of slanderous insinuations, which stop

short of a direct accusation of his wifes infidelity (Huq). Iago finally convinces Othello of

Desdemonas unfaithfulness by telling him the story of Cassios dream. By this time, Othello is

blinded by jealousy due to Iagos constant comments resulting in him believing Iagos blatant

lies. Even though Othello has not yet seen the handkerchief in Cassios possession, the story still

convinces him. Here the handkerchief exposes the weakness in the mind of Othello who is easily

swayed by jealousy and brings his basic insecurities from the beginning of the play to light.

After Othello becomes certain in his mind that Desdemona has betrayed him, he feels as

if his loyalty belongs to Iago. Meanwhile, through the dark scheming Iago and the nave Cassio,
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the handkerchief is eventually passed down to Cassios faithful prostitute, Bianca. As the

handkerchief is passed down from one person to the next, the division between Othello and

Desdemona grows wider. Once Othello becomes aware of Biancas possession of his precious

napkin, Bianca is seen as the prostitute figure that Desdemona has become in Othellos mind

(Huq). Further, as Desdemonas handkerchief is passed down to Emelia and Bianca, it is both

Emelias intent and Biancas assignment to copy the pattern of the napkin. However, as

aforementioned, due to Emilias husband, Iagos, previous suspicion of her involvement with the

Moor, she spontaneously gives him the napkin, failing to copy it, in order to demonstrate her true

devotion to him. Additionally, Bianca first hesitates then fails to copy the handkerchief for

Cassio due to her concern that it belongs to another woman, another minx. The fact that a

prostitute does not accept the handkerchief descends Desdemonas reputation into a lower level.

To Othello, each time the handkerchief is handled, Desdemonas purity diminishes.

While both women fail to do so, copying the pattern is quite possible, as it is possible for

Iago to copy an honest reputation. This demonstrates that the inimitable pattern in the play is

not that of Desdemonas handkerchief at all, but that of her love (Huq). All three women regard

the handkerchief as an emblem of reputation. Further, when Othello lies about the history of the

handkerchief, as the web of the napkin was woven with magic and that that magic demonstrates

Desdemonas love for Othello, he fails to realize that the handkerchief, like reputation, cannot

prove what one wants it to. Othello, by making the handkerchief a symbol of love, also makes it

proof of Desdemonas reputation for honesty. Seeing Othellos concern with the magical napkin,

Desdemona acts like it is still in her possession for she fears that its loss might incriminate

herself in front of a mind focused on reputation and appearance. However, to Othello, her

reputation has already slipped far.

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Throughout the play, Desdemona and Othello do not view the relationship from the same

standpoint, primarily because Othello begins to feel inferior. This paradox that exists within the

handkerchief, perverse purity within the design, is also present in Othellos depiction of his wife

(Hodgson). The colors of the handkerchief are white and red, creating a sharp contrast between

not only the colors, but also the views that Othello holds of Desdemona. She is innocent and

pure, which is associated with white or she is lustful and adulterous, which is associated with

red (Hodgson). Additionally, the handkerchief spotted with strawberries represents stained

wedding sheets (Huq). Desdemona aims to prove her fidelity and love for Othello by asking

Emilia to lay her wedding sheets on her bed. To Desdemona, these clean white sheets are a sign

of her loyalty while to Othello, the sheets are already blood-stained. To Othello, the sheets have

already been laid in by other men; their love has already been lust-stained. When Desdemona

tries to explain the situation, she is silenced by Othello, which symbolizes her loss of voice in

her marriage (Huq). The handkerchief makes the transformation of representing an innocent

love token to representing adulterous wedding sheets, which are ultimately transformed to

Desdemonas death (Hodgson). The napkin, the handkerchief which [Othello] so loved and

gave [to Desdemona] becomes the reason for why thou art on thy deathbed (5.2.48-50).

Desdemona dies on clean wedding sheets; however, these sheets are soon stained with Othellos

own blood after he becomes aware of the grave mistake that he has made, permanently silencing

his wife.

Shakespeare is notorious for writing about seemingly meaningless objects, but these

objects play quite significant roles. In The Tragedy of Othello, Desdemonas handkerchief plays

a multifaceted role; it is a token of love, an indicator of character, a test of relationships. The

handkerchief is the key factor to the ending of the play for it transforms from a napkin of
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affection to wedding sheets of deception. The token of love creates false reputations and then

seeks to destroy every relationship such as that between Desdemona and Othello, and Iago and

Emilia. In the play, the token of love drove true love and fidelity to the grave.
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Annotated Bibliography

Hodgson, John A. Desdemona's Handkerchief as an Emblem of Her Reputation. Texas Studies

in Literature and Language, vol. 19, no. 3, 1977, pp. 313-322.

www.jstor.org/stable/40754492?origin=JSTOR-pdf&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Accessed 2 Jan. 2017.

Hodgson details the significance of Desdemonas handkerchief attributing it to an

emblem of her reputation and therefore and emblem of Othellos reputation. He refers to
the handkerchief as a token of love and fidelity and how this token, with the help of Iago,
is transformed into Othellos proof of his wifes infidelity. He continues to
acknowledge the fact that it has ruined all relationships and eventually is also
transformed into Desdemonas clean wedding sheets in which Othello blood-stains.

Hodgsons piece is quite useful as it thoroughly details the significance of each

appearance of the handkerchief. The information is reliable as it was published by the
University of Texas in a journal designed specifically for the analysis of literature, and
merely serves to explain the true symbolism behind the handkerchief.

This paper was an effective source in my own analytical paper as it provides the right
information needed for me to analyze the symbolic handkerchief on my own. It provides
not only background information but useful transitions into my writing. The piece
provides insight on the handkerchief that I would not have picked up on my own, making
it the ideal source for my research paper.

Huq, Syed Anwarul. Desdemona's Handkerchief: Its Symbolic Significance, Stamford Journal

of English, vol. 7, 2012, pp. 159-168.

www.banglajol.info/index.php/SJE/article/view/14471/10276. Accessed 2 Jan. 2017.

Huq writes about the symbolic significance of the handkerchief in the play. He details the
first introduction of the handkerchief and moves on to nearly every separate encounter.
He mainly focuses on the significance the handkerchief has on relationships as well as
how it leads to Othello making his biggest mistake.

Huqs piece is also quite useful as it not only acknowledges the symbolism of the
handkerchief but it details specific encounters that transition into deeper analysis. It
differs from Hodgsons piece as it provides less encounters but, again, deeper analysis.
This source is also credible as it is written by Professor Syed Huq from Stamford
University in Bangladesh and serves to explain the meaning behind Shakespeares
symbol.
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The paper was an effective source in my research paper as it allowed for me to discuss
the symbolism of the handkerchief in a manner that detailed the way a simple token lead
to the downfall of each fragile relationship in the play. It provides information in that not
only allows for me to analyze the napkin but dig deeper into why Shakespeare included
such a simple object to serve as the most important symbol in the play.

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello. Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and

Drama/ Edition 1. Ed. Robert DiYanni, McGraw-Hill, 17 Jul. 2003. pp. 1013-1100.

Accessed 2 Jan. 2017.

Shakespeares The Tragedy of Othello is about Iago, an ensign in the Venetian army,
being bitter about being passed over for lieutenant in favor of Cassio. In turn, he plots
revenge on Othello leading to the death of everyone. Iagos diabolic plans are fostered
through not only his sadistic intentions but also Desdemonas precious handkerchief
given to her by Othello who is only focused on his pride and reputation.

This play is quite useful in my research paper as it allows for me to dissect the events is
which the handkerchief is a part of. As it was written by Shakespeare and published in
author DiYannis anthology, the source is quite credible and effective in literary analysis.
Because Shakespeare is notorious for seemingly insignificant symbols throughout his
plays, the play itself allows one to analyze why the handkerchief? Why a simple napkin?

The piece allows for me to analyze Shakespeares own words and not only translate them
into a modern version but to investigate the meaning as to why an event is important as
well as the rhetorical analysis behind such text. Specifically, events involving the talk
about the handkerchief and the actual appearance of the handkerchief were analyzed
thoroughly.