Honest Othello: The Handkerchief Once More

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Honest Othello: The Handkerchief Once More Though Othello might have exaggerated or told some extended lie, Shakespeare certainly did not make Othello the main protagonist as Michael C. Andrews did in his article, "Honest Othello: The Handkerchief Once More". Andrews describes Othello as a tragic hero who tells two different stories to his wife, Desdemona, about his believed and sacred handkerchief. When looking closely at the text, you can see that Othello forces the idea of magical properties in the handkerchief. Though this is only one version of his story and the second is completely different, meaning that Shakespeare could have made careless errors or just have purposely made dramatic content to confuse the viewer or reader. Andrews …show more content…
As Andrews states in the first page of his article, "In the first, Othello warns Desdemona that it is a love-charm with 'magic in the web,' given to his mother by an Egyptian; in the second, he tells Gratiano it was 'an antique token/My father gave my mother'" (Andrews 273). Michael uses these ideas as a way to make Othello an antagonist or anti-hero. Othello is an anti-hero due to the fact that he is not your typical hero. Many times, in the play he is represented as a gullible and jealous anti-hero as a result of Iago's trickier as stated, "It is the cause. Yet I'll not shed her blood, nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, and smooth as monumental alabaster. Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men" (V, II, 3-6). A character this innocent and naive does not represent your typical actions of an optimistic hero. Although he is an anti-hero, Othello was very much forced into his situation. Andrews describes Iago as only a minor action of Othello's situation as he states, "It would not be in accord with Othello's character to emphasize his own role. He is 'wrought' by Iago; this too is part of his fate" (282). Michael does include Iago as a part of the result of Othello's actions but states his position as only part of his fate. Fate being a term that represents your future which is already set and …show more content…
He believes that even though Iago manipulated his thoughts in some ways, Othello did not think of the rational ideas on the whereabouts of the handkerchief purposely, in turn giving him an excuse to murder his wife. Desdemona does state to Othello that she is innocent and he ignores her as stated, "Desdemona: And have you mercy, too. I never did offend you in my life, never loved Cassio but with such general warranty of heaven as I might love. I never gave him token. Othello: By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in 's hand! O perjured woman, thou dost stone my heart and me call what I intend to do a murder, which I thought a sacrifice! I saw the handkerchief! Desdemona: He found it, then. I never gave it him. Send for him hither. Let him confess a truth" (V, II, 73-84). This conversation shows that Othello ignores Desdemona slightly, which is what Andrews believes, though really it was not all his fault. Iago intruded on Othello's mind and corrupted his trust in Desdemona. As he misleads Othello, "I am glad of this, for now I shall have reason to show the love and duty that I bear you with franker spirit. Therefore, as I am bound, receive it from me. I speak not yet of proof. Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio" (III, III, 224-228). Iago uses the handkerchief in Cassio's hands, the first and most important of Othello's gifts to Desdemona, as a way to
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