Discuss The Importance Of The Absence Of A Single Prop In Othello

Within theatre props are a static object within a dynamic space, the stage. And while how each individual actor may choose to utilize a prop differently they are still a keystone to the performance. One has to wonder how a play would differ with the absence of a single prop. In William Shakespeare’s “Othello” the absence of the signature prop, Desdemona’s handkerchief would completely transform the plot of the play. The handkerchief is so important because it has multiple functions within the play making it irremovable from the plot. The handkerchief functions Othello’s driving motivation, as a haunted object, and as a metaphor and symbol for Desdemona’s life and