Abstract
The Moor of Venice is not only a valiant warrior but also a man who knows the power of words. It is not simply Othello’s prowess on the battlefield that wins him his role in the Senate and the hand of Desdemona. Rather, it is his storytelling, his ability to create and recreate his life’s narrative, that enables his success in civilian life. This paper argues that Othello does not merely believe that individual, abstract words signify actuality but also that words can create actuality when they are spoken. From the time Othello bids Iago to “give thy worst of thoughts the worst of words,” he gives over control of his own narrative and therefore, his future.
Recommended Citation
Robison, Monica Beckner
(2011)
"The Power of Words: Othello as Storyteller,"
Storytelling, Self, Society: Vol. 7:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/storytelling/vol7/iss1/4