On the tragic day of 9/11, a man missed his bus because he stopped for a coffee and didn't make it to work on time. He lived because of a mistake, a small action, and his life changed forever because of it. Miniscule decisions, the type people may not even consciously make can affect lives in mysterious ways. In Othello by William Shakespeare, the two main characters Othello and Desdemona have a starstruck love; but that does not mean they have no issues. Iago also entangles himself within their love affair out of spite for Othello, and from there involves Cassio by manipulating both him and his wife Emilia. Problems start to arise in Othello and Desdemona's relationship when Desdemona drops her handkerchief that Othello had gifted to her; and Emilia picks it up to give to Iago. The handkerchief, a pathetic rag to anyone else, but to the characters in Othello, it becomes so vital that their relationships, lives, and deaths somewhat revolve around it. After Desdemona misplaces her beloved handkerchief, the one simple mistake affects her life when it leads to her lying to and upsetting Othello which she would never have done in the past, Othello not being able to trust her, and ultimately, her mistreatment and murder, proving how even the most seemingly miniscule omission can lead to a person's downfall. .
Desdemona losing her handkerchief creates tension in her relationship with Othello when she believes she has cursed the love and when she lies about its whereabouts, and further shows how even an elementary mistake can result in the characters destruction. Desdemona unintentionally drops the handkerchief on the floor one day, and her servant Emilia picks it up, but returns it to Iago instead of Desdemona. This leads Desdemona to believe she has lost the prized possession, and betrayed Othello's love by doing so. Othello tells her the handkerchief has magical properties, "but if she lost it, Or made a gift of it, my fathers eye Should hold her loathed, and his spirits should hunt After new fancies.
