Learner Resource 5 The Power of Stories Story-telling is a distinctive feature of Othello. 1. Can you list the stories told in the play? 2. Who tells these stories, when do they occur in the play, and how long are they in relation to each other? Why? Labov’s theory of oral narrative: The American linguist William Labov wrote a famous study of oral story-telling, based on evidence gathered from the African American community in South Harlem, New York, and published in 1972. In it he defined the typical structure of oral narratives as follows: Abstract: indicates that a story is beginning; engages the listener’s attention; perhaps asks permission to tell the story; gives a clue as to what the story is about. Orientation: identifies the time, place, people involved and the main situation or activity. Complicating action: the main events of the story. Resolution: the ending of the story. Evaluation: explains the point of the story; suggests why it’s worth telling. Coda: signals the end of the story; sometimes refers back to the beginning or returns to the present. These elements are listed in the order in which they typically occur, with the exception of ‘evaluation’, which can occur at any point in the narrative. Version 1 Othello 1 Copyright © OCR 2015 Using the extracts from the play that represent the four stories, decide in your groups how each corresponds to the structure Labov proposes and annotate the stories accordingly (it will help to colour-code the different stages). How far do they conform to this structure, and how far do they deviate from it? Why do you think this is? In an article written about 25 years after the publication of his original study, Labov explained what he felt to be the purpose and value of the stories on which he based his research: ‘They deal with the major events of life and death, including the sudden outbreak of violence; the near approach of death and the witness of it; premonitions of the future, often through communication with the dead; courage in the face of adversity and the struggle against overwhelming odds; cowardice and the betrayal of trust.’ http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~wlabov/sfs.html How could you use this analysis to illuminate your understanding of the dramatic function of these stories, both in their immediate context and in Othello as a whole? OCR Resources: the small print OCR’s resources are provided to support the teaching of OCR specifications, but in no way constitute an endorsed teaching method that is required by the Board, and the decision to use them lies with the individual teacher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, OCR cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions within these resources. © OCR 2015 - This resource may be freely copied and distributed, as long as the OCR logo and this message remain intact and OCR is acknowledged as the originator of this work. OCR acknowledges the use of the following content: Please get in touch if you want to discuss the accessibility of resources we offer to support delivery of our qualifications: resources.feedback@ocr.org.uk Version 1 Othello 2 Copyright © OCR 2015