Bianca (Othello)

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Bianca is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's Othello.

[edit] Overview of Role

She is a courtesan romantically involved with Michael Cassio, Othello's lieutenant. Despite her brief appearance on stage, Bianca unknowingly plays a significant role in the progress of Iago's scheme to incite Othello's jealousy of Cassio.

In Act 3 Scene 3, Iago reveals that, having surreptitiously obtained the handkerchief that Othello had originally given Desdemona as a lover's token, he will 'lose' it in Cassio's lodging. Upon discovering the handkerchief in the following scene, Cassio admires its craftsmanship and asks Bianca to copy it for him. Bianca, already furious with Cassio for his apparent disregard of their relationship, suggests that the handkerchief is a gift from another woman, but eventually agrees to his request.

Bianca next appears midway through Act 4 Scene 1. Prior to her entrance, Othello has been secretly observing a bawdy discussion between Iago and Cassio about the latter's sexual exploits with a young woman. Thanks to Iago's impeccable planning (and some ill luck), neither speaker mentions the name of the woman in question; it is in fact Bianca, but Othello tragically assumes it to be his wife, Desdemona. Bianca suddenly enters: her suspicions of Cassio are even greater than before. She is convinced that the handkerchief is 'some minx's token', and throws it contemptuously at Cassio's feet. In Othello's eyes, her apparent jealousy confirms his wife's infidelity. This 'evidence' all but completes Iago's manufactured case against Desdemona, and thereafter Othello is determined to murder both her and Cassio.

[edit] Character analysis

Othello is a play riddled with jealous characters - Iago, Roderigo, Othello himself - and Bianca evidently contributes to this ongoing psychological theme. Like Othello, she misconstrues the signifiance of the handkerchief; however, whereas Othello's feeling of cuckoldry is so intense that he proceeds to kill the woman he loves, Bianca's fury seems limited to terminating her relationship with Cassio.