The way the tragic play in Shakespeare’s Othello unfolds is significantly influenced by the handkerchief (Snow, 1980). This symbolic item, often regarded as white, has been used in interpretations that uphold racial binaries (Hodgson, 1977). This presumption is contested by Iqbal Khan’s contemporary performance, which reimagines the handkerchief as black, changing its symbolic value and emphasising postcolonial issues. By challenging the assumption that the handkerchief is white and examining the implications of it being black, this section of the website will examine it through a postcolonial lens. Through this critical lens, we can reveal layers of meaning in the handkerchief that both reflect and criticise early modern views on colonialism and race by using this lens to examine it.
Not only is the handkerchief a prop in Othello, but it also serves as a symbol that moves the play along and eventually sets up the tragedy. White handkerchiefs are often understood to represent purity and faithfulness in Othello, for example when Othello gives it to Desdemona it represents her goodness and his love for her (Newman, 2013). However, Othello becomes destructively jealous after Iago tricks him in to thinking Desdemona gave the handkerchief to Cassio. The core of Iago’s deception and Othello’s jealously is its loss and the implied infidelity that follows. Othello’s feelings of insecurity and jealously are intensified by Iago’s skilful manipulation of the symbolic weight of the handkerchief. The conventional belief is that the handkerchiefs white colour represents innocence and purity (Pechter, 1999). However, when we see the handkerchief as black, its meaning changes significantly and becomes more in line with concepts of race (Dutton and Howard, 2003). The play’s discussion of the colour black is prompted by the cover of the Arden edition of Othello, which displays a black handkerchief. This encourages readers to engage with the play’s issues of race and identity more critically and to re-evaluate conventional interpretations of the play. When this is analysed through a post-colonial perspective, this indicates a different interpretation that is very prominent. In an environment where racial discrimination is pervasive, a black handkerchief may represent Othello’s own racialised identity (Callaghan, 1999). In Venetian culture, Othello’s blackness as a Moor is a source of both curiosity and discrimination. Consequently, the darkness of the handkerchief can represent the strange and unfamiliar, highlighting Othello’s status as an outsider. According to post-colonial theory, being black can represent defiance against colonial narratives that marginalised and dehumanise non-European individuals (Bartels, 1997). In order to establish racial hierarchies and defend the enslavement of non-European cultures, colonial discourse frequently construed blackness as the opposite of whiteness. Therefore, the black handkerchief takes on significant symbolic meaning as a representation of Othello’s origins and identity (Andrews, 1973).
“So much ado, so much stress, so much passion and repetition about a handkerchief! Why was not this call’d the Tragedy of the Handkerchief?”
(Thomas Rymer, 1693, cited in Boose, 1975).
The play’s theme is profoundly changed by the handkerchief’s transformation from a sign of love to a sign of jealously (Smith, 2013). At first, Othello’s handkerchief symbolises his enduring love and faith in Desdemona, acting as a concrete reminder of Othello’s love and purity of their relationship. However, the handkerchief plays a crucial role in transforming Othello’s perspective and advancing the tragic drama when Iago’s evil scheme is revealed. The handkerchief has an impact on play’s discussion of gender and power relations too. Although the handkerchief is initially in Desdemona’s possession, it soon removed from her, first by Emilia and then by Iago, who plants it with Cassio. The handkerchief’s progression through these characters, illustrates how power relationships change and how little control women have in patriarchal societies (Fernie, 1999). Further highlighting the themes of deception and its catastrophic potential is the handkerchief’s journey through the hands of several characters, all of whom have different motives. Emilia plays a very significant part in the story of the handkerchief. Her unintentional involvement in Iago’s plot, as well as her eventual acceptance and revelation of the truth, emphasises the plays themes of betrayal and loyalty. By portraying the handkerchief as black in Khan’s contemporary production, the conventional symbolism is disrupted, requiring viewers to revaluate its meaning. Othello’s ethnic and cultural identity becomes the main focus, replacing Desdemona’s purity due to the black handkerchief. By emphasising the nuances of Othello’s status as a Moor in Venetian culture, this change addresses postcolonial themes. The plays central racial tensions and Othello’s ancestry are symbolised by the black handkerchief.