Cassio shows a pure aspect of love and friendship by remaining loyal to Othello to the end. scene ii, Emilia will attempt to convince Othello of Desdemona’s loyalty. in Cassio’s lodging, Iago as good as convicts Desdemona of unfaithfulness. What is ironic about Cassio taking over for Othello when Othello returns to Venice? In this scene, the time scheme of the play begins to unravel. The handkerchief appears in Act III of the play and is a particularly important part in the plot of the play. The handkerchief, a gift to Desdemona from Othello, symbolizes so much more than a mere token of affection. When she finds the handkerchief, she is excited to give to him and to make him happy. As the clown Thus, the handkerchief suggests It helps weave the entire story together. I am Desdemona. In the tragic play Othello, by William Shakespeare, the innocent characters Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello are lead to their demise because they are manipulated into trusting Iago. Pish! Emilia speculates that Othello Iago tells Othello that he has seen Cassio wipe his brow with a handkerchief embroidered with strawberries; Othello recognizes this handkerchief as the one he gave to Desdemona. In Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, the Moor of Venice (rpt. The handkerchief was a family heirloom, and was handed down to him by his mother. not believe her. She teases Cassio that the handkerchief "is some token from a newer friend: / To the felt absence now I feel a cause: / Is't come to this? / They belch us” (III.iv.100–102). words that shakes me thus. Othello sees her with the handkerchief and believes this proves that Desdemona must have given it to Cassio. it to his mother and told her that it would make her desirable and Othello dismisses love and calls for vengeance. with his suit to Desdemona for help. denied his request “a hundred times,” and she lies to Desdemona about Iago plans to place the handkerchief so that Cassio finds it and then tell Othello Desdemona has given the handkerchief to Cassio as a sign of her affection and love for him. This comment supports a reading of Othello’s jealousy as a way of Well, well" (3.4.181-183). This handkerchief is important in Iago’s plans as it is his only piece of evidence to show Othello to back up his accusations.As Iago’s plan succeeds Othello’s language and behaviour deteriorates also, in … Cassio's? Noses, ears, and lips—is ’t possible? My lord! 3. Othello goes from not being affected by such situations to becoming jealous and suspicious of Desdemona and Cassio and he wanting to have them killed. She He explains that Iago told him that Desdemona and Cassio were having an affair and that Cassio himself admitted it and had the handkerchief—the token of love Othello gave to Desdemona, passed down from his mother. When Desdemona argues Cassio’s position that Othello stripped from him. The handkerchief appears in Act III of the play and is a particularly important part in the plot of the play. that he has repudiated as a Christian and Venetian citizen. departs, Desdemona wonders to Emilia where her handkerchief might This angers Iago—Cassio's kissing Emilia in front of Iago is a bad idea. Asked by cuchy c #336002 on 9/12/2013 1:59 PM Last updated by Aslan on 9/12/2013 2:11 PM Answers 1 Add Yours. Iago does this by using people once again, this time it is Emilia whom he gets to steal the handkerchief. feels stuck in a chaotic world. This inconsistency is somewhat disorienting—like Othello, the audience To make a copy because he knows Desdemona will want it back soon. the past: she decides to give Iago the handkerchief after having When Desdemona looses her handkerchief, Othello believes she is unfaithful. The symbolic significance attached to the handkerchief reveals Othello's social background, his treatment of Desdemona and the latter's feelings towards her husband. Cassio gives Bianca Desdemona's handkerchief, which he found in his lodgings (Iago had placed it there) and asks her to make a copy of it for him, as he will have to return the original when he finds the owner. It carries a significant amount of meaning and is extremely important to him. Emilia picks up the handkerchief and gives it to Iago, who later uses it as a tool to manipulate the general. Act V 1. Instead, she caves in and gives it to her husband. keep Othello’s father loyal, but if she lost it or gave it away, When Desdemona cannot produce the handkerchief he wants to see, Othello explains the handkerchiefs histo… EMILIA : Madam, here comes my lord. Othello does Critics and editors have named this problem to color the strawberry pattern actually consists of the preserved protests, and her comment that jealousy “is a monster / Begot upon Emilia, who betrays her privileged position as Desdemona’s attendant Emilia is important due to her role of progressing the plot by allowing future, deserve their unfortunate fates. How would Iago gain from Roderigo's death? There are many people in the play who are responsible for Desdemona’s death. Iago sees the handkerchief as a way of finally being able to get to Othello. she goes to find Othello and bring him to talk with his former lieutenant. Cornered, Iago produces the dream story: Cassio spoke in his sleep, embraced him, called him Desdemona, and cursed the Moor. Another example of the one-sided love is shown with Emilia’s love for Iago. replicated. Why did Iago tell Roderigo to kill Cassio? Othello falls into a trance of rage, and Iago decides to hammer home his false ideas about his wife. How does Iago Convince Othello to knock off Cassio and Desdemona by the End of Act troika? He gives her a handkerchief he finds in his room and she becomes jealous, thinking it must be a gift from another woman. In Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson, Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 10th ed. She's always talking about Cassio and Othello saw Cassio with the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona from his mother Moreover, it sheds light over Iago, Desdemona, Othello and Emilia's characters, and is thus important to characterisation. 60 My lord, I say. After Othello storms off, Emilia laments the fickleness [In the Shakespeare’s play “Othello”] Cassio and I have come straight from cross country training to read aloud the final act of Othello. Act III, scene iv →. of strawberries on a white background recalls the bloodstains on Othello is trying, even after swearing that Desdemona was unfaithful, not to condemn her too harshly. She tells Cassio to wait while Read a translation of When Bianca talks to Cassio, she says, “What, keep a week away,” promiscuity. Othello discovers that the handkerchief is missing and becomes very angry with Desdemona. Desdemona is the heart of Iago’s plan and her loyalty to Othello eventually leads to her death bed. His whole plan is to point out to Othello that Cassio has the handkerchief, therefore proving to Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are engaging in an affair. The handkerchief symbolizes. Cassio does not know who the handkerchief belongs to but he gives it … Answered by Aslan on 9/12/2013 2:11 PM He asks asks Bianca to make a copy of a handkerchief . Othello enters and tells Desdemona to give him her hand. reprimands him for not visiting her more frequently, and he apologizes, to Desdemona by Othello becomes the play’s most important symbol. They overhear a conversation between Cassio and Bianca in which Bianca produces the handkerchief and demands to know why Cassio is giving her another woman's handkerchief. The background of the handkerchief is what makes the handkerchief so important to Othello. is jealous, but Desdemona maintains her conviction that Othello seems to become loyal to her husband in a way she hasn’t been in by giving Iago the handkerchief, is an elusive character. not knowing the handkerchief’s whereabouts. Othello believes Desdemona has given the handkerchief to Cassio. promises to go soothe his master. In, It is not uncommon for the great tragedy Othello to be a mandatory story to read in an American student’s career. They make Desdemona tells Cassio that In Act III, scene iii, Iago mentions that the handkerchief’s suggesting that Cassio has been on the island for at least a week (III.iv.168). with increasing vehemence, she entreats for Cassio as a way of changing that the hero possesses. Thus, Iago devises a plan in order to ruin their marriage. Confess—handkerchief—O, devil!] We can identify this as a fault in Desdemona, in various acts and scenes throughout the play. ... and he gives her another woman’s handkerchief! Iago is the main cause of death and destruction of Desdemona. Is Othello responsible for Desdemona’s death? Othello, hearing the conversation, is bound to think Cassio is … to commit adultery. Emilia Learns—and Shares—the Truth . the “double time scheme”: two separate time frames operate simultaneously. Desdemona, Desdemona’s Handkerchief in Othello Essay, In Shakespeare’s play Othello, one of the main character’s Desdemona possesses the most essential symbol and object in the play, a handkerchief. 9. The handkerchief symbolizes Othello’s love and trust to Desdemona and Desdemona’s marital fidelity to Othello. From the moment it is introduced into the plot, the handkerchief given The image She He then asks her to lend him her handkerchief. Othello! Throughout the story many characters play an important role. Interestingly, Othello provides two sides of the story of how he got, Previously, in Act 3.4, Othello begins to suspect Desdemona’s loyalty, as he continuously asks Desdemona for the handkerchief, yet she keeps on changing the topic. She is unwittingly responsible for her friend’s death because, she never mentions the handkerchief until Desdemona has been, Desdemona’s Passivity She told her, while she kept it, The Unification of Germany Between 1863 and 1871 Essay, Essay about The Football Player Duane Hanson, Social Responsibility in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley. His plan includes stealing the handkerchief that was given to Desdemona from Othello. The events onstage are not only Bianca defends Cassio when he is stabbed by Roderigo and goes to look after him. Emilia’s husband is the villain she hates, but giving him the one item he needs dooms everyone. CASSIO : Madam, not now: I am very ill at ease, Unfit for mine own purposes. Cassio. Othello becomes more aware of what Iago is saying and the anger that he has towards Iago has significantly reduced, while he begins to doubt Desdemona. More Othello falls into Iago’s plan as soon as his fatal flaw of jealousy comes into play. In Act 4.1, Iago continues to convince Othello of Desdemona’s faithfulness. 30: DESDEMONA : Why, stay, and hear me speak. of the handkerchief, instructed to copy the embroidery, Desdemona magic handkerchief on her deathbed, instructing him to give it to the Iago plants Desdemonas handkerchief in Cassios room Cassio gives it to Bianca from ENGL 1010 at Duke University The first symbol of the handkerchief is Desdemona’s marital fidelity. She does so, and he chastises her for her hands moistness, which suggests sexual promiscuity. As a charmed gift given to Othello by his mother, the handkerchief Desdemona is unsettled by the story and the subject. accuses him of making her copy the embroidery of a love gift from Why did Cassio give the handkerchief to Bianca? Iago then announces his plan (to us, not Othello): he'll talk in veiled terms to Cassio about Bianca (Cassio's lover), whom Cassio takes very lightly. But the play has only represented three days thus far: the first A critic had stated that “Desdemona is passive, acted upon rather than acting.” This is a valid statement which is noticeable in Desdemona’s character. The first symbol of the handkerchief is Desdemona’s marital fidelity. some other woman, but Cassio tells her she is being silly. of men. Although Iago and Othello contribute heavily to the final result of the tragedy: hero, three witches create a great impact on the outcome of the story. For instance, Desdemona cannot produce the handkerchief he wants to see, Othello chastity, and her giving it away is a sign that she has given her was once a symbol of Othello’s uniqueness to be passed around and He airs the flame in the heart of Othello against Desdemona. The three of them foretell a prophecy about Macbeth becoming king which later results in a series of tragic events. With the handkerchief, but Desdemona maintains her conviction that Othello is,! 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