Shakespeare's Use of the Arts of Language

by Miriam Joseph

The contribution of the present work is to present in organized detail essentially complete the general theory of composition current during the Renaissance (as contrasted with special theories for particular forms of composition) and the illustration of Shakespeare’s use of it. It is organized as follows:

Part One: Introduction

I. The General Theory of Composition and of Reading in Shakespeare’s England
1. The Concept of Art in Renaissance England
2. Training in the Arts in Renaissance England
3. The English Works on Logic and Rhetoric
4. The Tradition
5. Invention and Disposition

Part Two. Shakespeare’s Use of the Theory

II. Shakespeare’s Use of the Schemes of Grammar, Vices of Language, and Figures of Repetition
1. The Schemes of Grammar
2. The Vices of Language
3. The Figures of Repetition

III. Logos: The Topics of Invention
1. Inartificial Arguments or Testimony
2. Definition
3. Division: Genus and Species, Whole and Parts
4. Subject and Adjuncts
5. Contraries and Contradictories
6. Similarity and Dissimilarity
7. Comparison: Greater, Equal, Less
8. Cause and Effect, Antecedent and Consequent
9. Notation and Conjugates

IV. Logos: Argumentation
1. Syllogistic Reasoning
2. Fallacious Reasoning
3. Disputation

V. Pathos and Ethos
1. Pathos
2. Ethos

Part Three. The General Theory of Composition and Reading as Defined and Illustrated by Tudor Logicians and Rhetoricians

VI. Schemes of Grammar, Vices of Language, and Figures of Repetition
1. The Schemes of Grammar
2. Vices of Language

VII. Logos: The Topics of Invention
1. Inartificial Arguments or Testimony
2. Definition
3. Division: Genus and Species, Whole and Parts
4. Subject and Adjuncts
5. Contraries and Contradictories
6. Similarity and Dissimilarity
7. Comparison: Greater, Equal, Less
8. Cause and Effect, Antecedent and Consequent
9. Notation and Conjugates
10. Genesis or Composition
11. Analysis or Reading

VIII. Logos: Argumentation
1. Syllogistic Reasoning
2. Fallacious Reasoning
3. Disputation

IX. Pathos and Ethos
1. Pathos
2. Ethos

Genres: Nonfiction, Shakespeare, Writing, Poetry, Philosophy, Literature, Education

607 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2005

About the author

Sister Miriam Joseph Rauh, C.S.C., PhD (1898–1982) was a member of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. She received her doctorate from Columbia University and was Professor of English at Saint Mary's College from 1931 to 1960. She is the author of several books including The Trivium which is a text she developed as part of the core curriculum of Saint Mary's College. It discusses the medieval liberal arts education based upon grammar, logic, and rhetoric.

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have an interest in rhetoric and, more specifically, figures of speech. Shakespeare and the KJV Bible use them to a beautiful effect and I enjoy identifying them and trying to use them.

With that background, I was very interested in this book. The scope of the book is much larger than figures of speech, however. It covers a wide range of linguistic devices and techniques (grammar, logic and rhetoric).

However, interested readers should know that this is less a close analysis of Shakespeare’s use of these devices, and more a catalog of the Classical/Renaissance devices with examples. The author is more interested in spelling out the elements of Classical/Renaissance language and checking off the fact that Shakespeare used a particular device, than how or why he used it.

So, it’s good for what it is – a lesson on classical rhetoric and evidence that Shakespeare knew it well and practiced its basic tenets with aplomb. It does not answer what devices or figures Shakespeare used most, how this changed throughout his career, and what he hoped to achieve by using them.

But this is for the hardcore grammarian/rhetorician/logician only. It’s pretty dry reading.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unbelievable scholarship.

[Marie Trotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really impressive work of scholarship on understanding Shakespeare's background in logic and rhetoric, but it is not an easy or intuitive read. It's better taken as a valuable reference guide (with a very thorough index) than read cover-to-cover.

[Blunt Of Mercia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely good reference for rhetoric

[Thuỷ Nguyễn]

reading