Symbols in othello play

 

There are 6 symbols in othello play :

1. The Willow song 

2. Handkerchief 

3. Animals 

4. Candle 

5. Dream

6. Garden

  

Here is details information of all the symbols:

1. The Willow song :

 The Willow Song symbolizes lamentation,grief, betrayal, and the tragic destiny of innocent women, particularly Desdemona, highlighting her emotional pain and foreshadowing her death.

2. Handkerchief :

In Othello, the handkerchief symbolizes love, trust, and fidelity. It is the first gift Othello gives to Desdemona, representing his deep affection and the bond between them. However, when the handkerchief is lost and ends up in Cassio’s possession through Iago’s manipulation, it becomes a symbol of betrayal and infidelity. Othello sees it as proof of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, which fuels his jealousy and leads to the tragic downfall. Thus, the handkerchief plays a central role in the plot and reflects how a small token can carry great emotional weight and be twisted into a weapon of deceit.

3. Animals:

In Othello, animals are symbolic of , lust, and racial prejudice. Iago often uses animal imagery to describe Othello and others, especially when he refers to Othello as a “black ram” and compares him to “the beast with two backs.” These images reflect how Iago and society see Othello as less than human, driven by animalistic desire rather than reason. Animal symbols also highlight raw instincts, jealousy, and savagery, suggesting that beneath the surface of civilization, the characters are governed by primal emotions. Thus, animals in the play symbolize the breakdown of humanity under the influence of jealousy, manipulation, and racism.

4. Candle:

The candle symbolizes Desdemona’s life and purity. Before Othello kills her, he blows out the candle and says, “Put out the light, and then put out the light.” The first "light" refers to the candle, while the second refers to Desdemona’s life. By extinguishing the candle, Othello symbolically prepares to end her life, showing how he sees her as something pure but now, in his mind, corrupted. The candle also represents fragility just as a flame can be easily blown out, so can a life. Thus, the candle becomes a symbol of life, death, and the tragic finality of Othello’s actions.

5. Garden:

the garden symbolizes control and manipulation. Just like in Richard II, where the king is the gardener of England, Iago sees himself as the master gardener who controls others. He says our bodies are like gardens, shaped by our will. Through this, the garden represents how Iago manipulates Othello’s mind, planting seeds of jealousy and destroying his inner peace.

6. Dream: 

dreams symbolize illusion and false proof. Iago invents a dream where Cassio supposedly talks about Desdemona in his sleep, using it as fake evidence to fuel Othello’s jealousy. This moment also has homoerotic undertones, as Iago describes Cassio hugging him and calling out to Desdemona blurring boundaries between truth, desire, and manipulation. Thus, dreams in the play represent how easily reality can be distorted and used to destroy trust.