JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div>✓</div>

JavaScript

var CHECKMARK = '&#x2713;'

var decoded_checkmark = $('<textarea />').html(CHECKMARK).text();

console.log($('div')[0].innerHTML)
if ($('div')[0].innerHTML == decoded_checkmark) {
    $('body').append('checkmark recognized<br>')
}