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Hanoi university of foreign studies
English department
Name Truong Hoai Thu
Class FA10-000
Introduction to English Literature
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THEMEWhy is getting ahold of Desdemona's handkerchief so important to Iago? Could he have succeeded in destroying Othello without it? Why or why not?
Answer
One of the key factors constructing the success of the Shakespeare's "Othello" is the appearance of no character but a small object, the Desdemona's handkerchief. Admittedly, the Desdemona's handkerchief plays an indispensable role in the whole Iago's trick. So without it, Iago could never succeed in manipulating and destroying Othello.
Being the symbol of love, the Desdemona's handkerchief is also the cause leading to a tragic end of a love story. It was the first gift that Desdemona received from Othello. She takes a loving care of it and always keeps it about her as a symbol of Othello's love. Also, the handkerchief is very important to Othello. It is known that, the handkerchief was woven by an Egyptian female prophet and given to Othello's mother with a vow that
"……,while she kept it,
'T would make her amiable and subdue my father
Entirely to her love, but if she lost it
Or made a gift of it, my father's eye
Should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt"
(Act IV, scene iii)
Othello's mother used it to keep his father faithful to her. When she is going to die, she asked Othello to give it to his wife and the handkerchief would help to keep his faithfulness. The wife should keep the handkerchief like her 'precious eye' or she would lose her husband and have to die. It is easy to realize that the handkerchief represents, to Othello, marital fidelity. It suggests a guarantee of virginity as well as fidelity.
Meanwhile, Iago, representing the evil, is cunning, untrustworthy, selfish and plotting.He is an expert judge of people and their characters. He also quickly recognizes the advantage of trust and uses it as a tool to forward his purposes. At first, he exploits Cassio's weakness for drink to disgrace him. Then, he uses Roderigo to do his every 'dirty' works. More terribly, he plans successfully to convince Othello with a 'smooth tongue' that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. However, it is tragic that throughout the play, every character considers Iago as an 'honest man'.
"So please your Grace, my ancient;
A man he is of honesty and trust.
To his conveyance I assign my wife,
With what else needful your good grace shall think
To be sent after me."
(Act I, scene iii, lines 84-8)
At attempts to instill jealousy and blind suspicion in the trusting Othello, Iago is successful in making use of the handkerchief as an evidence to persuade Othello about Desdemona's faithlessness. He manipulates the handkerchief since he knows that Othello comes to see it as a symbol of Desdemona herself, her faith and chastity. Thanks to the handkerchief, Iago made Othello have no alternative but to be susceptible to his tricks. Othello is consumed by uncontrollable jealousy and cruelly accuses Desdemona of infidelity. Deaf to Desdemona's pleading and blind to her love for him, Othello stifles her. As it is, the handkerchief is the last but most effective factor in Iago cruel planning that brings him the triumph.
In conclusion, without getting ahold of Desdemona's handkerchief, Iago could never have succeeded in destroying Othello. In other words, the good here would be never defeated by the wrath of evil. Tragically, seeing the handkerchief meanings to Othello, Iago is the one who pushes Othello and everyone else towards their sorrowful end.
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