Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice weaves a complicated web to ensnare the characters. A small and insignificant square fabric is given magical powers by a handkerchief. This fabric square, which appears to be insignificant, moves from one character to the next in the drama. Six characters come into possession of a handkerchief. Three (Othello) and two (Desdemona and Emilia), all die violently. Cassio, Cassio’s brother, is severely wounded. Bianca, Emilia’s sister, is imprisoned and Iago faces death. Iago is not being fair to the handkerchief when he claims that “we do not work by witchcraft but by wit”. (2.3.393). The handkerchief’s mysterious nature makes it a unique character that appears at key moments.
The handkerchief is passed around the characters. Desdemona offers Othello a handkerchief to soothe his pain. But Othello, seduced by Iago’s trickery, rejects it. Emilia picks up the handkerchief to copy Iago’s work, but she instead gives Iago the original even though Desdemona is “going mad/ when she will be without it.” (3.3.365-366). Iago asks Cassio to copy his work after he leaves it in Cassio’s room. Bianca is shocked that Cassio asks her to copy the writing on what she considers “some minx token”, and returns it to Cassio. Othello watches in the background.
Each character is affected by the handkerchief in a different way. Emilia pretends not to know about her husband and the handkerchief. Emilia does not interject in 3.4, but in 5.2 she is very vocal in her support for her lady. This lack of interaction may be due to a malicious spell that the handkerchief casts on Emilia. Iago’s revenge plan against Othello, Cassio and the other characters is formed when he finds out about the handkerchief. Iago places the “trifles” in Cassio’s room, knowing that it has power. Cassio falls for the handkerchief charm but is unmoved. Bianca’s reaction is much more obvious. Bianca at first is complacent and “accomplished” by Cassio, but when she holds the handkerchief in her hands, it opens her eyes. She then seems ready to make Cassio a decision. Othello notices that Bianca has returned the handkerchief. Othello needs “ocular evidence” in 3.3.412 to prove that the handkerchief is in Cassio’s possession. Desdemona is condemned to die by the simple square cloth.
The origin of the handkerchief is unclear. Othello claims in the last act (5.2.256-257) that the handkerchief was an “antique token” which his father had given to his mother. However, it is more likely a magical item in disguise. The handkerchief leaves destruction behind it as it moves from character to character.
