The White Hanky
A symbol of purity, innocence, and loss
Guest edited by Mira Gupta
The white hanky, a simple yet versatile piece of cloth, has held a significant symbolic weight in literature, poetry and art throughout history. Its stark, unadorned colour, often associated with purity, innocence, and surrender, has made it a powerful tool for conveying complex emotions and themes.
One of the white hanky's most common symbolic associations is purity and innocence. White is often seen as a symbol of cleanliness, virtue, and spiritual enlightenment. In many cultures, white is the colour brides wear, signifying their purity and innocence before marriage. Similarly, the white hanky can represent the purity of childhood or the innocence of a lost love.
Image: Handkerchief, third quarter of the 19th century, Swiss, cotton. Image courtesy of Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Carll H. de Silver, 1909.
Image above: Handkerchief, second quarter of the 19th century, American, cotton. Image courtesy of Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Alyce Stern, 1961.
In Emily Dickinson's poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death," Death carries the speaker away in a carriage. The speaker notes, "He kindly stopped for me," suggesting a gentle and almost welcoming approach to death. As they pass a school, the speaker sees children playing. It is a poignant moment, highlighting the contrast between the innocence of childhood and the inevitability of death. The white hanky could be seen as a symbol of this lost innocence, a reminder of the carefree days of youth that have been forever altered.
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Guest edited by Mira Gupta
The white hanky, a simple yet versatile piece of cloth, has held a significant symbolic weight in literature, poetry and art throughout history. Its stark, unadorned colour, often associated with purity, innocence, and surrender, has made it a powerful tool for conveying complex emotions and themes.
One of the white hanky's most common symbolic associations is purity and innocence. White is often seen as a symbol of cleanliness, virtue, and spiritual enlightenment. In many cultures, white is the colour brides wear, signifying their purity and innocence before marriage. Similarly, the white hanky can represent the purity of childhood or the innocence of a lost love.
Image: Handkerchief, third quarter of the 19th century, Swiss, cotton. Image courtesy of Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Carll H. de Silver, 1909.
Image above: Handkerchief, second quarter of the 19th century, American, cotton. Image courtesy of Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Alyce Stern, 1961.
In Emily Dickinson's poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death," Death carries the speaker away in a carriage. The speaker notes, "He kindly stopped for me," suggesting a gentle and almost welcoming approach to death. As they pass a school, the speaker sees children playing. It is a poignant moment, highlighting the contrast between the innocence of childhood and the inevitability of death. The white hanky could be seen as a symbol of this lost innocence, a reminder of the carefree days of youth that have been forever altered.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*