Desdemona’s handkerchief
E786318
Desdemona’s handkerchief is the symbolic token of love in Shakespeare’s *Othello* whose loss and misplacement fuel Othello’s jealousy and the tragedy’s central misunderstanding.
Statements (49)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
fictional object
ⓘ
plot device ⓘ symbolic object ⓘ |
| appearsInWork |
Othello
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| associatedWithCharacter |
Cassio
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Desdemona NERFINISHED ⓘ Emilia NERFINISHED ⓘ Iago NERFINISHED ⓘ Othello NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| causes |
Othello’s jealousy to intensify
ⓘ
Othello’s suspicion of Desdemona ⓘ |
| centralTo | plot of Othello ⓘ |
| createdByAuthor | William Shakespeare NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| describedAs |
spotted with strawberries
ⓘ
white cloth with red spots ⓘ |
| firstAppearsInAct | Act 3 of Othello NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| functionInNarrative |
catalyst for the tragedy
ⓘ
physical proof for Othello’s delusion ⓘ |
| genreContext | Elizabethan tragedy ⓘ |
| givenByCharacter | Othello NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| givenToCharacter | Desdemona NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| interpretedAs |
extension of Desdemona’s body and honor
ⓘ
token of marital contract ⓘ |
| keyScene |
Act 3, Scene 3 of Othello
ⓘ
Act 3, Scene 4 of Othello ⓘ |
| languageOfWork | Early Modern English ⓘ |
| lostByCharacter | Desdemona NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| manipulatedByCharacter | Iago NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| materialDetail | dyed with mummy and virgins’ blood (as claimed by Othello) ⓘ |
| medium | stage drama ⓘ |
| misunderstoodByCharacter | Othello NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| originStory |
Othello claims it was woven by a sibyl
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Othello says it was given to his mother by an Egyptian charmer NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| ownedByCharacter | Desdemona NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| plantedWithCharacter | Cassio NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| stolenByCharacter | Emilia NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| symbolizes |
Othello and Desdemona’s love
ⓘ
Othello’s jealousy ⓘ chastity ⓘ marital fidelity ⓘ misinterpretation ⓘ the fragility of trust ⓘ trust ⓘ |
| themeLinkedTo |
appearance versus reality
ⓘ
gender and power ⓘ jealousy ⓘ manipulation ⓘ |
| usedAs | evidence of infidelity ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
subject surface form:
Bianca (Othello)