The introduction to nineteenth-century rhetoric was especially enlightening to me. As we have progressed through rhetoric's history, I have had less and less background information on the subsequent periods leading up into modern rhetoric. The Rhetorical Tradition explains the disregard for figures and tropes pertinent to the Classical Period during the nineteenth-century, and focuses on Richard Whately's contribution to the field. His piece, "Elements of Rhetoric, Comprising an Analysis of the Laws of Moral Evidence and of Persuasion with Rules for Argumentative Composition and Elocution" is said to surmise what were the current trends of rhetoric of the time. If anything, I think that the wordy title alone exemplifies a shift from the expressed desire for concision in language between Locke and his Enlightenment contemporaries.
Though Whately was in agreement with Locke's stance on language, he also employed classical techniques in his arguments that I believe Locke would argue only serve to obscure the message and thus keep the audience from the simple truth. On the other hand, Whately discredited the use of emotion as a valid appeal in argument as well, which proves a continuation of the importance of logic in rhetoric's ongoing evolution.
The nineteenth century also saw the group of who was allowed to be a practicing rhetorician diversify to include both women and people of color as a reflection of the progressively less homogeneous state of North America. This, I believe, markedly shows the way that rhetoric became more accessible over time. Where at first it was entirely limited in scope to elitist white males during the Classical Era who underwent a very specific education, it slowly expanded its scope and the requirements of rhetoric became less stringent- that, and the rise of literacy undoubtedly were significant factors in who could use rhetoric and for what. That said, the minorities who could use rhetoric did not do so without repercussions, as was the case for many African American males who tried to use the art of persuasion. Frederick Douglass was the most notable example provided, as he was at the forefront of the proponents of abolition and produced a significant amount of strong rhetoric during his time.
I also found this time period interesting. Although Whately stressed the importance of using ancient and classical teachings within a more modern scope, it was especially important to recognize how language was changing in its entirety. I appreciated that rhetoric was including people of color because of the influx of those traveling into North America, as well as the opportunities that this time period granted women. Because of the wider acceptance of the masses, rather than focusing on the homogeneous state of society, rhetoric was becoming more important because of its accessibility.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion in class today broadened the extent of my understanding of artificial, natural, and external memory. By categorizing different elements of memory under each heading I was able to grasp the ways that the mind is able to retain subject through methods such as mnemonic devices, repetition, and association. Further, the elaboration on the social context of the 19th century increased my understanding of the purported effects of the advancement of theory and how the field of science needed to utilize rhetoric to affirm its findings.
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