Honour and Reputation

What symbol in Othello represents marital fidelity?

The handkerchief.

What does the handkerchief function as in Othello?

A material embodiment of marital fidelity, connecting personal emotion to cultural symbols of purity.

How does Shakespeare use the handkerchief to critique male honour?

To expose how fragile and arbitrary male conceptions of honour are.

How does the handkerchief’s journey mirror Othello’s character?

It mirrors his descent, making honour a psychologically internalised force.

What quote in Chronicle expresses a communal moral code about honour?

'No public misfortune more shameful than for a women to be jilted in her bridal gown'.

What does the Chronicle quote reveal about honour?

Honour is a collective imperative, not just an individual belief.

What literary device is in "no…more shameful" in Chronicle?

Hyperbole.

What does the hyperbole in Chronicle reveal about the community?

The community prioritises reputation above morality, compassion, or reason.

How does Chronicle’s portrayal of honour differ from Othello?

Unlike, Othello, where honour collapses inward, Chronicle shows honour expanding outward, enforced through social pressure

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A falcon who chases a warlike crane can only hope for a life of pain - proverb

How does the proverb in Chronicle function?

Uses folk wisdom to naturalise honour-based suffering.

What does the proverb reinforce about society in Chronicle?

Fatalistic acceptance: pursuing impossible honour leads to destruction, yet society follows it anyway.

How does Shakespeare’s symbolic economy in Othello differ from García Márquez’s in Chronicle?

Shakespeare focuses on internal, emotional symbolism (handkerchief), Garcia Marquez employs externally inherited savings

Comparative Insight for the Topic Sentence

What do both texts present about honour?

Honour is rigid and destructive.

How is honour depicted in Othello?

Psychologically internalised, destabilising Othello personally.

How is honour depicted in Chronicle?

Collectively inherited, shaping the town’s decision-making regardless of individual doubt.

How does Shakespeare’s use of the handkerchief in Othello contrast with García Márquez’s use of proverbs in Chronicle of a Death Foretold?

Shakespeare uses a singular symbolic object, while García Márquez relies on traditional proverbs.

What does this contrast reveal about honour in the two texts?

Honour is an internalised personal obsession in Othello but an inherited communal script in Chronicle of a Death Foretold.