Conversation and the Boundaries of Public Discourse in Rhetorical Theory by Renaissance Women

1998 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Donawerth
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Public Speaking ◽  
Rhetorical Theory ◽  
Margaret Cavendish ◽  
Women's College ◽  
Written Discourse ◽  
Ideal Woman ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Late Renaissance ◽  
The Ideal

Abstract: In the late Renaissance in England and France women appropriated classical rhetorical theory for their own purposes, creating a revised version that presented discourse as modeled on conversation rather than public speaking. In Les Femmes Illustres (1642), Conversations Sur Divers Sujets (1680), and Conversations Nouvelles sur Divers Sujets, Dediées Au Roy (1684), Madeleine de Scudéry adapted classical rhetorical theory from Cicero, Quintilian, Aristotle, and the sophists to a theory of salon conversation and letter writing. In The Worlds Olio (1655), Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, feminizes rhetoric by analogies from women's experience and inserts women into empiricist rhetoric by assuming discourse based on conversation rather than public speaking. In Women's Speaking Justified (1667), Margaret Fell revises sermon rhetorics, claiming preaching for women, but preaching in private spaces, in the Quaker prophetic fashion. In A Serious Proposal to the Ladies (1701), Mary Astell adapts Augustine, proposing a women's college to promote a “Holy Conversation”, and a rhetoric of written discourse treating writer and reader as conversational partners. These women use categories of the ideal woman to contest the gendering of discourse in their culture, questioning “private” and “public” as defining terms for communication.

L’absence qui devient présence : la vie et l’Idée dans Sixtine de Remy de Gourmont

2011 ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
Agata Sadkowska-Fidala
Keyword(s):  
The Novel ◽  
Principal Character ◽  
Ideal Woman ◽  
The Ideal

Sixtine by Remy de Gourmont marks the refusal of nature and tangible reality and the choice of imagination to the detriment of reality. Its principal character, Hubert d’Entragues is a faithful disciple of idealism of symbolism. Since he chooses to think rather that to live, it is not surprising that the plot of the novel is almost nonexistent. The plot develops around of d’Entragues’ desire to win the beautiful Sixtine, which is in itself condemned to failure since he is doing nothing to reach her and refuses to take any effort. The woman, who could have served as the principal impulse of the plot, is practically inexistent in this story (though it is a passionate story) and is replaced by the ideal woman: the story is doubled by the second story, e.g. a novel written by the character which is a transposition of his “cerebral” relation with Sixtine and a realisation of presence of the latter. Art replaces life and life does not exist in itself. It is shaped by thought. But the chosen absence of any facts of life is fruitful: it gives birth to a novel. It is a story of a prisoner in love with the statute of the Virgin which he sees while taking a daily walk. In this novel the carnal accomplishment is not necessary in order for a true and sincere passion to develop and the satisfaction of desire may destroy the dream and the ideal.

Family as a framing resource for political identity construction: Introduction sequences in presidential primary debates

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Sclafani
Keyword(s):  
Political Discourse ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Political Identity ◽  
Presidential Debates ◽  
Family Identity ◽  
Political Identities ◽  
Presidential Primary ◽  
Family Discourse ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Family Identities

AbstractThis study investigates the construction of political identity in the 2011–2012 US Republican presidential primary debates. Focusing on candidates’ self-introductions, I analyze how candidates use references to family members and roles to frame their political identities or ‘presidential selves’. Family references are shown to (i) frame candidates’ personal identities as family men/women; (ii) interweave the spheres of home and politics and consequently, their private and public selves; (iii) serve as a tool of discursive one-upmanship in self-introduction sequences; and (iv) demonstrate intimate familiarity and expertise on the topic of national security. This study extends research on family discourse and identity by examining the rhetorical function of mentioning family-related identities in explicitly persuasive public discourse, and contributes to sociolinguistic research on political discourse by examining how family identities serve as a resource for framing political identities. (Discourse analysis, framing, family, identity, political discourse, presidential debates, sequentiality)

scholarly journals Rhetorical Discourse Analysis of State of the Nation Address of Select Philippine Presidents

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilibeth A. Calonge ◽  
Ismael N. Talili
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Public Speaking ◽  
Frequency Standard ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Weighted Mean ◽  
Rhetorical Device ◽  
Rhetorical Devices ◽  
Rhetorical Discourse

The art of public speaking has been one of the commonly feared tasks for some people because they are not prepared and equipped with knowledge in rhetoric. The study was conducted to analyze the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by the three presidents of the Philippines. Speech videos and speech manuscripts were analyzed using validated rubrics. A survey was also conducted to gather information on students’ perception on the study of rhetoric. Frequency, standard deviation, and weighted mean were used to analyze the rhetorical devices and canons of rhetoric employed in the speeches. It was found out that metaphor is a common rhetorical device used by the Presidents. The results show that the canons of rhetoric: invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery were utilized in the speeches. Majority of the students of Rhetoric and Public Discourse, self-reported (or agreed) that the rhetorical discourse analysis of the SONA is beneficial to them as Rhetoric and Public Discourse students. The study concludes that the Presidents used the rhetorical elements and techniques to convince and influence the audience. It is recommended that the presidents (or their speech writers) should consider optimum use of the rhetorical elements and techniques to evoke the desired response from the audience.

ARROGANCE, TRUTH AND PUBLIC DISCOURSE

Episteme ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Patrick Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Psychological Attitude ◽  
Space Of Reasons ◽  
The Ideal

ABSTRACTDemocracies, Dewey and others have argued, are ideally spaces of reasons – they allow for an exchange of reasons both practical and epistemic by those willing to engage in that discourse. That requires that citizens have convictions they believe in, but it also requires that they be willing to listen to each other. This paper examines how a particular psychological attitude, “epistemic arrogance,” can undermine the achievement of these goals. The paper presents an analysis of this attitude and then examines four arguments for how its adoption – especially by the powerful – undermines the ideal of democracy as a space of reasons.

Iconiciteit als taalkundig anker

Lampas ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-325
Author(s):  
Arjan Nijk
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Rhetorical Theory ◽  
Linguistic Meaning ◽  
Conceptual Content ◽  
Written Discourse ◽  
Sound Effects ◽  
Communicative Strategy ◽  
Formal Properties ◽  
Iconic Language ◽  
Conceptual Meaning

Abstract One of the central precepts in classical rhetorical theory is that form should match content. In many places, classical rhetoricians encourage their readers to use iconic language, which means that the speech or written discourse resembles the conceptual content in its form (for example, through sound effects, rhythmic patterns, clause length). This presupposes that the processing of the formal properties of the discourse (mainly a perceptual operation) interferes with the processing of the linguistic meaning it conveys (a conceptual operation). The question is how this interaction between the two types of operation can be described in linguistic terms. I argue that a meaningful answer to these questions can be given within the framework of Cognitive Linguistics. In this paradigm, iconicity can be understood as a communicative strategy whereby the depictive aspects of the discourse facilitate the processing of its conceptual meaning.

‘Woman of valor’ : The character and status of women in jewish philosophy of the sixteenth century

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-254
Author(s):  
Shaul Regev
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Jewish History ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Private Life ◽  
Ideal Woman ◽  
Vast Literature ◽  
Biblical Commentaries ◽  
Problematic Situations ◽  
Status Of Women ◽  
The Ideal

AbstractResearchers of Jewish History dealing with the topic of women’s character and status in Medieval Jewish texts drew their information mainly from Rabbinical Responsa and tended to neglect other types of literature: sermons and Biblical commentaries. Responsa were a primary source for two reasons—convenience and availability of the material. However, this type of literature was written out of necessity and dealt with the problematic situations in a woman’s life, whether with regard to her private life (as for instance in matters of marriage or divorce), her financial situation or other difficult issues. It may be possible to put together a clearer picture of women and their position in the Middle Ages, including their treatment by the men of their immediate surroundings, by examining and researching the vast literature of sermons and Biblical commentaries.Using an interpretation of Chapter 31 of the book of Proverbs (“Woman of Valor”), the preacher draws an image of the ideal woman and uses it to present his opinion on women, their shortcomings and their virtues. The main topic that preachers and interpreters discussed was the question of the perfection of women’s intellectual souls. As women did not usually acquire great intellectual learning, it stands to reason that they could not achieve perfection. Therefore, replacements were created that allowed women’s perfection to surpass that of men’s.

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