Words as swords

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Verbal violence serves as a sophisticated means of persuasion and manipulation, proving as effective as physical violence, yet its long-term destructive effects are often overlooked. Sıla Şenlen explores this concept in both Renaissance and contemporary English drama. In Renaissance tragedies like Marlowe’s Tamburlaine, Part I, and Shakespeare’s Richard III, political power is intricately linked to powerful rhetorical styles, with battles predominantly fought through words rather than physical confrontations. Characters like Tamburlaine and Richard III wield verbal violence to manipulate, deceive, and undermine their opponents, illustrating a connection between rhetorical prowess and military might. This dynamic draws a parallel between ‘word’ and ‘sword’. In contemporary English plays, the violence inherent in everyday language not only enhances realism but also facilitates the replacement of free critical thinking with rigid patterns of thought and speech. Institutions and discourses establish norms that categorize and judge individuals. In works such as Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, and Anthony Neilson’s The Censor, verbal violence is employed to construct authority and standardize subjects, while simultaneously serving as a tool for deconstruction and defiance against that authority.