Blog Post #11

How exactly does Othello say the handkerchief was made? Who made it and with what materials?

"Tis true: there's magic in the web of it.
A sybil that had numbered in the world
The sun to course two hundred compasses.
In her prophetic fury sewed the work.
The worms were hallowed that did breed the silk,
And it was dyed in mummy, which the skillful
Conserved of maidens' hearts" (Act 3, Scene 4 82-87).

In these few lines, Othello tells us exactly how the symbolic handkerchief was made. He says that "it was dyed in mummy, which the skillful conserved of maiden's hearts," suggesting that colored dye was used to represent the virginity of his bride. We know that the handkerchief has an embroidered symbol of red strawberries, which Othello tells Desdemona were stitched with dyed blood from "maidens hearts." This also leads me to answer a second question: "What is the significance of the maidens hearts?" As mentioned previously, the maidens hearts probably represents the virgin status that a wife is supposed to maintain until marriage.

My question for the class this week is do you see Othello as a victim or a villain? Depending on your response, how did Iago influence your decision? Did you think of Desdemona at all when making formulating your answer?