Overview of Enlightenment In Rhetoric

Enlightenment is known to be the profound intellectual change of rhetoric. Enlightenment in rhetoric began in the late seventeenth century and beginning of the eighteenth century. In this chapter, we will be discussing the influence people at this time had on rhetoric, different theories in rhetoric, and how places and education played a role in the way we see enlightenment in rhetoric. Along with how these influences changed the way we think about and use rhetoric today. Before the beginning of the enlightening, meant most people were familiar with the rhetoric being memory-based and invention systems. Whereas now they were trying to reinvent the way we saw rhetoric in more of an aesthetically pleasing good style in delivery approach.

Moments in Movements

The Elocutionary Movement

The Elocutionary movement focused on delivery and the art of teaching out loud. This movement showed the importance of oral presentation that we now refer to as “public speaking” This can also be related to courses like communication. Elocutionary movement felt more like an experience while speaking. Not only were you speaking but you were focusing on using your body and gestures to get your point across. Practicing good delivery was a crucial way of showing your audience that you are credible and that what you have to say is worth listening to.TED Talks use this approach when delivering their speech. They use tactics like this to keep the audience engaged.

The Belletristic Movement

Belletristic movement is the study of belle letters which then translates into beautiful words/writing. These forms of belletristic movements can be classified as poetry, story, and drama. The belletristic movement then expanded into a study of literature, literary criticism, and writing generally. This movement changed the way rhetoric was viewed as a study of invention and arguments to now being seen as the study of the universal effects of language on readers and listeners. The Belletristic movement marks a significant change in rhetoric.

Influential People

Margaret Cavendish was a duchess in England and the youngest of eight siblings. Margaret studied philosophy and science. During this time she wrote six books on natural philosophy which is now referred to as “science”.

Giambattista Vico was a professor of Rhetoric, he originally studied law earlier in his career but later became more interested in things like literature, history, mathematics rhetoric, and philosophy. Vico spent long hours teaching himself philosophy, law, and literature. Vico also studied Plato and held his position as a professor at Naples for 40 years. Vico became so passionate about rhetoric and literature that he took it upon himself to write a response to Renee Descartes.  Vico had a vivid imagination Fantasia was a way for him to formulate myths. His book was named “On the study methods of our time” the book was published in 1708.

Thomas Sheridan was an Irish doctor/educator who provided ready students with the knowledge of speaking publicly. He referred to “poor preaching” as a threat to Britain and its education system. Sheridan also believed that skillful public speaking was beneficial. GP Mohrmann, mentions how public speaking can improve religion, morality, and constitutional government. This would also would under grid a refining language. Public speaking had the power of paving

the way for ultimate perfection within all the arts. Sheridan also thought that oratory was the pulpit and that it must effectively support religion against the opposition. Or it would be the principal means of its destruction. Some other influential people during this time were Lord Kames, Hugh Blair, George Campbell, Richard Whately, and Maria Edgeworth.

Scientific Rhetoric

George Campbell’s influence on scientific rhetoric focused more on British philosophical thought of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Campbell was very open to new ideas and ways of thinking. He intended on developing a new form of rhetoric that would shed some insight into the enlightenment period. Campbell found that rhetoric and philosophy were inseparable. His form of rhetoric consisted of practical goals and could be directly tied to the practical concerns of public figures.

While Campbell advanced how scientific rhetoric was viewed, science to him meant what philosophy is like to us today.

Two enlightenment writers Bacon and Locke divided the mind into different categories of capacities and facilities. Each faculty had a responsibility, which involved the process of acting and thinking.  This view of faculty is a perfect example of Bacon’s form of rhetoric. He refers to rhetoric as “the application of reason to imagination for the better moving of the will.

The Theory of Persuasion

Persuasion was used as a way to address both the emotions and reasoning behind it. Most audiences are not entertained by arguments and will most likely not engage unless their reaction is solely based on emotion. Persuasion was used to help build the bond and credibility with your audience to make them want to listen and believe what you are pitching to them. If you are good at persuading your audience it will not take much for them to be willing to listen to you and believe most if not all of the things you are telling them.

Campbell says two things that must be persuaded by others the first rule is to excite some desire or passion in the hearers. The second is, to satisfy their judgment so that there is a connection between the action to which he would persuade them. Last but not least gratification of the desire of passion which he excites

Persuasion is a product of the probability of one’s arguments complementing the plausibility of one’s narratives.

Whately’s Take on Analogy

Richard Whately was an English cleric and the Bishop of Dublin. He studied at Oxford and became interested in traditional logic and rhetoric. Whately eventually sat as a member of the House of Lords.

One of Whately’s most important and influential contributions was his definition of what an analogy was. He redefined an analogy as an argument “in which the instance adduced is somewhat more remote from that to which it is applied.”

Through the Wife’s Eyes

Maria Edgeworth created a parody referred to as a satiric parody of the masculine rhetorical treatise. Edgeworth’s theory for reading masculine rhetorical theory is “through the wive’s eyes.”

Donawerth calls Edgeworth “an innovator in education philosophy and a writer of fiction and textbooks. Edgeworth worked alongside her father to create a series of textbooks based on narratives. Edgeworth questioned the purpose of enlightenment rhetoric. Edgeworth mockingly parodies and transforms the techniques of traditional rhetoric. She also resists not only the repression of women’s voices and powers in marriage but also the dangerous potential for manipulation in rhetoric. Though Maria Edgeworth has created parodies of the men of the enlightenment and their theories she is still very knowledgeable of the earlier rhetoric traditions. Edgeworth’s approach can be referred to as the Protagorean dictum that each argument invites a counterargument.

Conclusion

Many influential people came from the enlightenment period along with many ways of thinking and different perspectives. Each rhetoric scholar mentioned throughout the text has not only become knowledgeable on the subject but created a new way for people to graph the concept better and make it more digestible to their geared audience. The audience and readers’ best interest was always considered when creating a new concept. Plato also referred to rhetoric as “the art of influencing the soul”.  The belletristic movement showcased the power of beautiful language. The influential people of this period made sure to show the beauty of rhetoric and how with a few tweaks to it it can be very beneficial. They also provided numerous examples of why these theories work and the influence they made at that moment along with the impact they will later have on the world. Not just on people in the English field but anyone who speaks especially those who do so publicly.