Symbolism In Othello

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Othello’s Symbols of Truth Symbols are used in many works of literature and has become a core essential in analyzing works. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something and is used to help the reader gain more knowledge about the story. William Shakespeare, known to be one of the greatest writers of time, uses symbols in his play, Othello. The setting of Othello is in the 16th century where many marriages lack trust. Men, during that time, were paranoid that their wives would cheat on them and women had bad reputation due men believing that women were unchaste. Othello, the main protagonist of the play, similarly has the the perception that his wife, Desdemona, was having an affair on him. In William Shakespeare's tragedy, …show more content…
reality. During the play, Othello gives Desdemona a handkerchief as a token of his love. The handkerchief represents Desdemona’s virtue and purity. The origin of the handkerchief is that an Egyptian charmer once gave Othello’s mother the handkerchief so it would make Othello’s father loyal and not cheat on her. The handkerchief has strawberries on it, that “was dyed in mummy which the skillful conserved of maidens’ hearts”(III.iv.74). The strawberries on the handkerchief were dyed with virgin blood and it represents the purity because virgins died pure. The purity of virginity gives the handkerchief the power to keep the owner of the handkerchief pure to his or her spouse. Desdemona throughout the play stayed loyal to Othello and even when Othello calls her a strumpet, she still loved him wholeheartedly. Othello begins to start believing Desdemona is having an affair, when Desdemona lies about the handkerchief by saying that she did not lose it but in reality she did lose it. When Othello sees Cassio, his lieutenant, use her handkerchief, he assumes that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. This event later leads to Othello …show more content…
Consummation means the action of completing a marriage by having sexual intercourse. During the time period of Othello, there would be people surrounding the bed when a newly wedded couple would consummate. After the consummation was over, the people would check the bed sheets in order to see if there is blood on it. The blood shows that the wife had not been in any sexual relations with anyone else and is virtuous. Throughout the play, Othello and Desdemona had never consummated. When the two were able to be alone together, an event will rise and the moment is lost. When Othello believes that Desdemona has been cheating on him, he uses the handkerchief as evidence of the affair but the real evidence to check if Desdemona has been cheating him or not is to consummate and check the bed sheets. he At the end of the play, Othello murders his virgin wife and the irony behind this event is that the motive behind Othello’s actions are driven because he believes that Desdemona has been in an
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