Symbol: Handkerchief
The handkerchief is the most significant symbol in Othello, as its meaning changes depending on how each character perceives it. For Othello, the handkerchief is initially a symbol of his love and affection for Desdemona. However, the handkerchief eventually comes to symbolize (to Othello) Desdemona's betrayal, which is of course a lie made up by Iago. Finally, for Iago, the handkerchief symbolizes the fragility of Othello's own relationship with Desdemona, as he is easily able to manipulate Othello by stoking his jealousy.
Symbol: "Willow" Song
In the final act of the play, Desdemona sings a song entitled "Willow" just before her death. The song tells the story of a young woman scorned by her lover when he goes mad, and even notes that her mother's maid died while singing the song. This song therefore becomes a symbol of Desdemona's own impending doom, brought on by Othello's madness.
Motif: Animals
Iago frequently compares Othello to a wild animal, sometimes in praise of his strength and other times in a secret, disdainful manner. The recurrence of animal imagery throughout the play reveals Iago's hidden prejudice against Othello as a moor, as he perceives Othello to be fundamentally uncivilized and subject to madness.
Motif: Green
The color green appears in many characters' speeches in the play. In Act 3, Iago warns Othello if the "green-eyed monster," jealousy, and the dangers of succumbing to its power (3.3). Green comes to signify both Iago's envy of Othello as well as Othello's escalating jealousy throughout the play that eventually leads to the murder of Desdemona.
Motif: Red
Like green, red is an important element of color imagery in the play. Red signifies both love – like the red hearts on the handkerchief that Othello gives to Desdemona – as well as violence. The night after Othello and Desdemona's wedding, there is blood on the sheets, an image that uses red to show the conflation of love and violence (bloodshed) together.
