5. Othello

What functions are served by the minor characters?

In act IV, scene i Bianca helps in Iago's plan to destruct Othello and Desdemona's relationship without knowing it. Back in Act III, Cassio gave the handkerchief to her as a token of his love for her. The handkerchief was never given to Cassio by Desdomona, he found it. Yet, as Bianca walks in on the conversation, she believes Cassio's love to her is fickle, and that the handkerchief was essentially, just another prostitute. To her this means Cassio did not care for her at all. However, in Bianca's outrage, Othello takes everything in a different way. Not only did Desdemona cheat on him, but the man she was cheating with, did not care about her. This ultimately shows Othello's love for her. Although he plans to kill her, he wants someone who cares for her. But because he thinks Cassio does not care for her, he is even more outraged. All of this occurs just because of Bianca's entrance into the scene.