MOOC on Othello. The Handkerchief's symbolism

As a gift from Othello to Desdemona, the handkerchief seems to represent Othello's presentation of his past, himself to his wife through his story. As an arcane talisman that destroys relationships, the handkerchief is also a symbol of Iago's nefarious 'tale.' - Reflect on the handkerchief's meaning. 

The symbolic handkerchief in Othello, reminds me of the ring in Shakespeare's play, Merchant of Venice, in which Portia gives to her love, Bassanio, and advises him to never take it off. This ring represents love and commitment between partners, and Portia cautions him that if he were to lose or give away the ring, then it will represent the destruction of that love. The loss of both objects were intentional deceivings, as Portia wanted to test her fiance's love, and Iago wanted to destroy his general's, in order to get what he so desires.

The handkerchief and the ring make me question whether a material object should be the proverbial glue that binds their marriage together, and not pure faith between each other itself. As we see at the very end, Desdemona never loses her love nor faith in her husband, and this puts Othello's thoughts and actions toward his wife, as shameful, as he needed some 'ocular proof' in order to truly believe, rather than the pure, unadulterated trust in his wife that he should have. I believe that Othello's deep-rooted emotional insecurity and blind faith in his manipulative ensign, Iago, is an integral turning point in crafting the tragic element of the play. Othello plays a critical, essential role in his own demise, that clever Iago bewitches him to becoming.