The Elements of Dramatism

by David Blakesley

Kenneth Burke was arguably the most important rhetorician and critical theorist of the 20th Century. The Elements of Dramatism is the first pragmatic introduction to the work of Kenneth Burke for those interested in communication and language. This brief paperback focuses on the analytical methods Burke coined as dramatism, which has exerted an enormous influence for many years on people interested in the dynamics of human communication and symbol-use in many areas of study, particularly composition and speech communication. Each chapter includes discussions of key concepts in the context of dramatism and rhetoric, extended applications of these concepts to a variety of rhetorical problems and forms (including literature, photography, and film), and clear guidelines for applying these strategies. Longer applications and illustrations of key concepts are accompanied by readings that elaborate them or serve as sources of analysis. The book makes available some of Burke's most important and accessible discussions and applications of dramatism. For those interested in communication and language

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2001

Reviews

[Sydney Repak]

Read for my graduate seminar on Rap and Hip Hop Form. I enjoyed the idea of the pentad (foundational topic), but the examples and corresponding engagements were overly dense and daunting.

[Marlana Portolano]

I use this one when I teach my Modern Rhetoric class. It's a fun way to show students how Burke's grammar of motives is truly useful.