... then asks her to lend him her handkerchief. When Desdemona cannot produce the handkerchief he wants to see, Othello explains the handkerchief's history. An Egyptian sorceress gave it to his mother and told her that it would make her desirable and keep Othello's father loyal, but if she lost it or gave it away, Othello's father would leave her. Othello ... 's mother gave him the magic handkerchief on her deathbed, instructing him to give it to the woman he desired to marry. Desdemona is shaken by the story and lies saying she ... sheets for her shroud. As Emilia helps her mistress to un...

• Word Count: 2963
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School

... and prevented the whole tragedy. However, his weaknesses and Edmund's perseverance in exacting revenge allowed the play to become a tragedy. Hamlet's revenge was because his new stepfather had married his mother after killing his father. Hamlet is the only character in the three tragic plays who had a justified reason to be angry. Hamlet's anger increases as he sees his ... mother and Claudius together. Hamlet takes many steps to be sure that Claudius is in fact the killer. He stages a play in which the same events transpire as they did with ... truly thought out his reasons for reven...

• Word Count: 1222
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... he still had doubts. The last factor was the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona. To understand the importance of it, Othello said: "That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give; She was a charmer, and could almost read The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it, "Twould make her amiable and subdue my father Entirely to her ... like your precious eye; To lose "t or give "t away were such perdition As nothing else could match." (3.4.50-62). Othello meant by this, that his mother and father would stay in love as long as his mother kept the handkerchief, but if ...

• Word Count: 862
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... anything of it. The night she is murdered, Desdemona prepares herself for bed. She tells Emilia about a song called "Willow." She says this song was sung by one of her mother's servants who was in love with a crazy guy who ended up leaving her. She says that the song is stuck in her head and worries that Othello has gone crazy ... and will desert her too. "My mother had a maid called Barbary, she was in love, and he she loved proved mad and did forsake her. She had a song of "Willow," an old thing 'twas, but ... ...

• Word Count: 1156
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... passed onto the husband, hence Desdemona tells Brabantio that she is bound to him for life because I am your daughter but now I have a husband and I will serve him as my mother did to you. "To you I am bound for life and education...I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband." Line 200 Brabantio gives Othello and Desdemona says that he is ... I do die before thee, prithee, shroud my in one of these same sheets," as if she were foreseeing her death. Line 39-55 Desdemona sings the song Willow that her mother's maid, Barbary sang before she died when her lover turned mad and ran aw...

• Word Count: 3368
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... and is in the possession of Cassio. Enraged Othello confronts Desdemona, telling her of its magic. He tells her a story of how Othello's mother received it from an Egyptian sorceress. There was magic in it. It made Othello's mother lovable. This brought his father to her. If the handkerchief was given away or lost that the magic of it would be lost ... ...

• Word Count: 883
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... and education both do learn me/How to respect you. You are the lord of duty,/ I am hitherto your daughter/ But here's my husband,/ And so much duty as my mother showed/ To you, preferring you before her father,/ So much I challenge that I may profess/ Due to the Moor my lord. (I. iii. 178-187). This speech illustrates Desdemona's inner conflict and ... her submissiveness to them. One of Desdemona's most powerful speeches occurred in her final moments before Othello smothered her where she recited a song that she learned from one of her mother's maids, Barbary, "She was in love; and he p...

• Word Count: 1594
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... for underhanded treachory, and ultimately as a means for the realization of betrayal. To Othello, the handkerchief has magical powers. He explains the history behind it. "Did an Egyptian to my mother give. She told her, while she kept it, t'would make her amiable and subdued 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 after new fancies." (Act III, Scene IV, Lines 56-63). His mother gave it to him on her death bed. Othello was to give it to the woman he loved and as long as she had it, s...

• Word Count: 785
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... to put him to ill thinking. "(Shakespeare 838).Othello asks Desdemona to "Lend him thy handkerchief, that one which I gave you " "I have it not about me" "Not! That handkerchief thy mother, dying, she gave it me, and bid me, when my fate would have me wived, to give it her. I did so; and take heed on it." Why do you speak ... ...

• Word Count: 1320
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... at all, that still couldn't prevent her from falling victim to Iago's evil schemes. Desdemona was too obedient to Othello. But here's my husband; And so much duty as my mother show'd to you, preferring you before her father, So much I challenge that I may profess? (1.3.203-206). Desdemona chose Othello over her father which allowed Iago to realize and exploit this ... ...

• Word Count: 1007
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... creatures, likely to betray men" with "Appetites never satisfied" . The history of the handkerchief also suggests the power of female sexuality over men: "That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give; She was a charmer, and could almost read The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it, 'Twould make her amiable and subdue my father Entirely to her ... ...

• Word Count: 2352
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... violently, but the English forces gradually overwhelm his army. Now face to face with Macbeth, Macduff declares he is not of woman born, but was instead "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb. Though he realizes that the end is near, Macbeth combats until Macduff kills and beheads him. Through Macbeth's death, Shakespeare shows what can happen when ambitions go unchecked by ... ...

• Word Count: 1627
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... plot, reminds O of the strawberry handkerchief he gave to his wife. O becomes sidetracked when he remembers back to the blissful days when he gave Desdemona the most meaningful gift - his mother's handkerchief. Iago stokes the fire once again in an attempt to bestow vengeance upon O. It is a strange, minute and sickening upheaval when O realizes that some trivial and all-important gift ... ...

• Word Count: 1693
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... unbearable threat to him. Her warmth and devotion become a "proof" of disloyalty. Othello's most tortured speech reveal that he equates the seemingly betraying woman he has loved with his own mother. She gave Othello's father a handkerchief and threatened him with loss of her love if he should lose it. Othello has briefly learned and then forgotten the precious art of harmonizing ... ...

• Word Count: 4125
• Approx Pages: 17
• Grade Level: High School

Othello gave his wife a handkerchief, which belonged to his mother, as a wedding gift. Iago tells his wife Emilia to steal it from Desdemona to fulfill yet another one of his mischievous schemes. Emilia swindles it and gives it to her ... ...

• Word Count: 235
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... her father, but devotion to her husband". To you I am bound for life and education....I am hitherto your daughter. But here is my husband. And so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father...(act1,sc3L210). In other words, she is grateful to her father for what he has given to her but will stand by ... ...

• Word Count: 1051
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... as "an honorable murderer"; as "one that loved not wisely but too well." Othello's belief of Iago's every statement grew critical when Iago accused Desdemona of losing the handkerchief his mother gave him. Once again Iago had won an intellectual battle with Othello. Subsequently, Iago convinced Othello that Cassio, his devoted and loyal lieutenant, was stealing his wife. Upon hearing this ... ...

• Word Count: 462
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... as "an honorable murderer"; as "one that loved not wisely but too well." Othello's belief of Iago's every statement grew critical when Iago accused Desdemona of losing the handkerchief Othello's mother gave him. Once again Iago had won an intellectual battle with Othello. Subsequently, Iago convinced Othello that Cassio, his devoted and loyal lieutenant, was stealing his wife. Upon hearing this ... ...

• Word Count: 574
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... her soon. Desdemona obeys, departing immediately for her chamber. There she tells Emilia to dress her in her wedding dress and asks her to sing the willow song, which her mother's maid used to sing to her. In conversation with Emilia, Desdemona reveals her continued, deep love for Othello. Emilia is reluctant to leave her mistress alone, but Desdemona insists. Before ... ...

• Word Count: 6585
• Approx Pages: 26
• Grade Level: High School

... readily believes Iago's notion that Desdemona is cheating on him. Again, Othello loses credibility to the reader when he believes the fate of his relationship lies in a "magical- handkerchief. Othello's mother gave him this and told him that when he is wed, to give it as a gift to his wife. As long as she has the handkerchief, their marriage will remain ... ...

• Word Count: 1558
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... with her father regardless of the consequences, "To you I am bound for life and education I am hitherto your daughter. But here is my husband. And so much duty as my mother showed you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my lord."(21) In other words, she is thankful for what her father ... ...

• Word Count: 999
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... had originally expected. Similarly, Claudius is able to use manipulation and deception to alter others" views to his own. For example, he is able to convince Gertrude, who is Hamlet's mother before becoming Claudius's wife that her son has gone insane and must be sent away. Two other characters turned into Claudius's puppets through his clever manipulations are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern ... ...

• Word Count: 1814
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... could be argued that Desdemona has deceived her father not just through marrying Othello but also by her character. He has a misconception of her, "and so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father-, her father cannot argue with this and Desdemona could be seen here to be cunning, manipulative and deceitful. This idea of deception ... ...

• Word Count: 2631
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School

... and education both do learn me How to respect you : you are the lord of duty; I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband; And so much duty as my mother showed To you, preferring you before her father, So much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my lord. [1.3.180-189] Desdemona defines herself in terms of daughter and ... ...

• Word Count: 3595
• Approx Pages: 14
• Grade Level: High School

... Desdemona. The handkerchief is a key quality in a majority of feminist readings to Othello as its symbolic qualities are different for each character. Othello's connection with the handkerchief is that his mother gave it to him after she used it to keep his father faithful, so to Othello it represents marital fidelity. To Desdemona the handkerchief represents Othello's love, as it was ... ...

• Word Count: 1792
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School