The Library
Erasmus's contribution to rhetoric and rhetoric in Erasmus's writings
Tools
Tools
Tools
Mack, Peter (2012) Erasmus's contribution to rhetoric and rhetoric in Erasmus's writings. Erasmus of Rotterdam Society Yearbook, Vol.32 . pp. 27-45. doi:10.1163/18749275-00000004 ISSN 1874-9275.
Research output not available from this repository.
Request-a-Copy directly from author or use local Library Get it For Me service.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18749275-00000004
Abstract
This paper claims that Erasmus was the most important and influential theorist of rhetoric in the Renaissance and that Erasmus’ thinking is heavily influenced by rhetoric. After showing that Erasmus wrote the most successful rhetoric textbooks of the sixteenth century and that he continued to compose and revise rhetoric books from the 1490s right up to his death in 1536, the paper argues that rhetorical ideas condition Erasmus’ way of thinking and arguing about editing, commentary, and religious teaching. Then the paper analyses in more detail Erasmus’ contribution as a theorist of rhetoric in the areas of: rhetoric and reading, the audience, adaptation of the three genres of classical rhetoric, invention, proverbs, descriptions, comparisons, style, imitation, emotion, and decorum. Finally the paper argues that Erasmus the writer made use of his rhetorical theories but also went beyond the prescriptions of the textbook, discussing the Adages and the Praise of Folly. Erasmus develops the deeply playful originality of his work from the rhetorical principles of declamation, topical invention, irony, ethos, and decorum.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divisions: | Faculty of Arts > English and Comparative Literary Studies | ||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Erasmus of Rotterdam Society Yearbook | ||||
| Publisher: | Brill | ||||
| ISSN: | 1874-9275 | ||||
| Official Date: | June 2012 | ||||
| Dates: |
|
||||
| Volume: | Vol.32 | ||||
| Page Range: | pp. 27-45 | ||||
| DOI: | 10.1163/18749275-00000004 | ||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
