Othello Discussion Questions

How is the handkerchief a vital symbol to the storyline?

The handkerchief takes on different meanings for different characters in the play. It symbolizes Othello’s love for Desdemona; it is in fact the first gift she receives from Othello, that too on their wedding night. Iago, who largely embodies evil in the play, manipulates Othello into thinking that the handkerchief should be a symbol of Desdemona’s loyalty and chastity. Iago successfully transforms the handkerchief into a symbol of fidelity: he uses it to make Othello viciously suspicious of Cassio and Desdemona’s friendship. However, the handkerchief becomes valuable to both Desdemona and Iago only because of the importance Othello attaches to it.

Othello tells Desdemona that the handkerchief was gifted to his mother by an Egyptian sibyl, who had woven the handkerchief using silk from sacred worms and dye extracted from the hearts of mummified virgins. Othello’s mother had used the kerchief to charm her husband and keep him loyal to her. Hence, the handkerchief represents marital fidelity to Othello.

What is the symbolic significance of the “Willow Song?”

In Act V, scene I, as Desdemona and Emilia prepare for bed, Desdemona sings the “Willow Song,” which is about a woman betrayed by her beloved. Shakespeare is known for his use of willow trees as symbols to mark or presage the death of women in his plays. We find one such instance in his play Hamlet, where Ophelia, Hamlet’s beloved, drowns in a stream near a willow tree. The willow tree in Othello is a symbol of Desdemona’s melancholy and her resigned acceptance of Othello’s fast-fading love for her. The tree thus presages Othello’s change of heart and Desdemona’s eventual death. Her song also leads to a discussion of infidelity with Emilia. Desdemona, notably, asserts that she will remain faithful to Othello despite his change of heart and poor conduct.

Can it be said that Iago is the protagonist of Othello?

Like Shakespeare’s play Juliet Caesar, where critics have argued that Brutus, not Caesar, is the protagonist, Othello, too, lends itself to a similar argument. One can in fact argue quite persuasively that Iago is the protagonist. Firstly, Iago has many more lines than Othello. Secondly, Iago’s manipulations form the thrust of the play; he directs the characters’ course of action. Othello’s actions are, in actuality, reactions to Iago’s actions. Othello only seems to passively follow Iago’s plans. Thirdly, Iago has many soliloquies, and the audience is thus more aware of his intentions. Othello, on the other hand, remains distant from the audience. Almost nothing can be understood of Othello’s character or thought process.

Iago reveals a lot about himself, and the audience can recognize both his ingenuity and cunning. However, a protagonist usually changes the course of a play, and his character arc also changes. This holds true in the case of Othello, not Iago. At the beginning of the play, we see Othello as a confident man, who becomes increasingly unstable as the play unfolds. Iago remains a villainous character till the end. Hence, Iago can also be regarded as a perfect foil for Othello.

Discuss the structure of the play on a textual level.

The play is divided into five acts, and each act is further divided into several scenes. The five acts can be analyzed using Freytag’s pyramid. The first and second acts serve as exposition or introduction; the third act complicates action; the fourth serves as the climax, whereas the fifth act serves as the anti-climax. The fifth act also represents falling action—that is, denouement or catastrophe.

Discuss Shakespeare’s use of syntax and diction to represent Othello’s emotional state.

Syntax has to do with the arrangement of words in a sentence, whereas diction refers to the writer’s choice of words. Shakespeare utilizes both to signify changes to Othello’s emotional state. Othello’s speech patterns amply reflect his transition from calm and collected to deranged and jealous. Othello’s eloquence seems to diminish with his mounting insecurity and anxiety. Generally, Othello’s sentences are long, complete, and complex, and his choice of words are varied; he also uses adjectives liberally. However, his words become violent and repetitive when he grows jealous.