The Handkerchief in Othello

Discuss the importance of the handkerchief in the play.

In Othello, Othello presents his wife Desdemona with a white handkerchief embroidered with strawberries. This token bears great mystery, for Othello states that it was given to his mother by an Egyptian in order to charm and keep his father. He also claims, however, that it was merely a token his father gave his mother. Alike Othello, the secrecy behind the handkerchief is never revealed. The handkerchief is a dominant and irrefutably significant symbol in the play. It is the prime instrument that turns Othello completely against his wife; the key point at which he loses all trust in her. It represents Desdemona’s loyalty towards Othello, hence serves as evidence of her betrayal. This symbol additionally serves in learning about the characters in the plot through their thought on the handkerchief.
We first come across the handkerchief as Othello rejects it when Desdemona presents it to him after he mentions his alleged headache. He claims that ‘Your napkin is too little’, perhaps reflecting on his belief of Desdemona’s shrinking fidelity towards him, for this scene occurs just after Iago fills Othello’s mind with worries of Desdemona’s betrayal. As the handkerchief falls to the ground, Othello tells Desdemona to ‘Let it alone’. It is quite apparent that it is Othello’s prime fault for the handkerchief falling to the ground and hence later on mistakenly being in Cassio’s and Bianca’s possession.
Emilia reveals to us that her husband Iago had been requesting Desdemona’s handkerchief for a while, but she could not obtain it for him for Desdemona never let it out of her sight. She takes the handkerchief for the sole reason of pleasing her husband, regardless of not knowing his use for it, ‘I nothing but to please his fantasy.’ She thereby betrays Desdemona in giving the handkerchief to him, for Emilia knows its importance to Desdemona. However, it is also Emilia who realises that Othello is jealous because he consistently requests the handkerchief and Desdemona fails to give it to him, ‘Is not this man jealous?’ Later on it is Emilia that reveals the truth of having taken the handkerchief and given it to her husband, ‘that handkerchief thou speak’st of/I found by fortune and did give my husband’. In like manner, she discloses that Iago was the one who had requested it, hence the one to blame, ‘He begg’d of me to steal it.’
Iago, in harsh contrast to his wife, does not care about pleasing his wife as she had cared to please him at the start. As soon as he obtains the handkerchief from her, he asks her to leave him alone, ‘Go, leave me.’ It is obvious to note how he uses his own wife for his own good. Iago only bothers to speak to Emilia when she has something he wants, otherwise is cold and arrogant. Emilia naively hands him the handkerchief without much question, and is too late in asking why Iago wants it – he already has the handkerchief after snatching it and needs to reveal nothing to his wife.
Iago immediately adds the handkerchief as evidence of Desdemona’s betrayal, and informs Othello that he had seen Cassio holding the handkerchief, ‘but such a handkerchief…did I today/See Cassio wipe his beard with.’ Knowing this false information completely convinces Othello that he wants revenge and needs no more proof. This is as the handkerchief represents Desdemona’s chastity. By her giving it away, she has likewise given herself and her body away. Being a symbol of his love for her and the trust binding their marriage, losing or giving it away would reflect Desdemona rejecting him.
Desdemona lies about her possession of the handkerchief. She claims she still holds it in her possession, however one cannot blame her for this lie for seeing Othello enraged would not encourage her to admit the truth. Desdemona’s childish innocence is revealed when Emilia says how Desdemona would kiss the handkerchief, as if it were a substitute for Othello’s presence. As Bianca throws down the handkerchief with Othello overseeing this sight, he is provided with the ocular proof he needs – the handkerchief had been in Cassio’s and then Bianca’s possession. Bianca unknowingly presented the ocular proof Othello had needed.
As the play ends, Othello once again mentions the handkerchief and is seen to hang on to it for it was the only solid proof he had – although that proof itself was mistaken. Othello can be seen to deceive Desdemona for his story regarding the handkerchief is not consistent throughout the plot, but he changes it, perhaps to make Desdemona feel ashamed or guilty for losing it. The air of mystery hangs on until the very end as the audience does not learn about which version of the story was true, but are only left to assume.
Henceforth one can conclude how a mere handkerchief allows for the majority of the turnout of the play, for it was the ocular proof required for Othello’s conviction of his wife’s infidelity. Had it not been for the handkerchief, Othello would not have been convinced just as easily.