The Motives of Eloquence: Literary Rhetoric in the RenaissanceWe have in 'The Motives of Eloquence a significant contribution to theory, criticism, and history that graces us with the eloquence of its own motives....For comparatists of all interests and persuasions. - William J. Kennedy, 'Comparative Literature' This is a stunning book....The central thesis of 'The Motives of Eloquence' is subtle, complicated, imaginative, and bold. - Anne Barton, 'Shakespeare Quarterly In this brilliant tour de force Lanham speaks with sound and fury -- signifying everything. Though exacting and difficult, the book is well worth the effort it demands, and it succeeds admirably in providing a viable and provocative approach to reinterpreting Western literature. - William C. Johnson, 'Sixteenth Century Journal' The book offers bold and often controversial insights. Its readers will find themselves bringing significantly altered premises to much of their subsequent reading in the field. - Newsletter of the National Endowment for the Humanities A celebration of rhetoric and a challenge to all who consign consideration of style to the periphery of attention....Lanham's book represents a good place to begin, both for the student of literature and for the student of religion who wishes to review Western history in the light of its rhetorical motifs. - Thomas E. Helm, 'Journal of Religion' |
Contents
Plato and Ovid 336 | 36 |
Chaucer | 65 |
Venus and Adonis | 82 |
The Sonnets | 111 |
Hamlet | 129 |
Cortegiano | 144 |
Gargantua | 165 |
Shakespeares Henriad | 190 |
Other editions - View all
The Motives of Eloquence: Literary Rhetoric in the Renaissance Richard A. Lanham Limited preview - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
allegorize argues argument attitude becomes begins behavior C. S. Lewis Canterbury Tales Castiglione central Chaucer clarity comedy comic conception context Courtier creates Criseyde critical debate dramatic epic finally fundamental Gargantua and Pantagruel genre gesture Hamlet Hamlet play Hecuba honor human ideal identity imitate invitation kind King Knight's Tale Laertes language literary literature look Lucrece Lucrece's means Metamorphoses metaphor moral motive myth mythic naive narcissistic narrative never Ovid Ovid's Ovidian Pandarus pattern philosophical Plato play pleasure plot poem poet poetry Polonius pose purpose Rabelais Rabelais's Renaissance rhetorical coordinates rhetorical reality rhetorical view role Rome scene seems self-conscious sense serious poetic sexual Shakespeare social Socrates sonnets Sophists speech sprezzatura stands story strategy style stylistic sublimity surface Symposium tale Tarquin tell theory things tion tragedy Troilus Troilus and Criseyde truth Venus and Adonis verbal wants words