Rhetorical Affect in Early Modern Writing Renaissance Passions Reconsidered [Hardcover]

Emotive language is now best understood by combining the analytic techniques of classical rhetoric with current linguistic practices. With or without prompting, the 'passions' of Renaissance culture can stir contrary feelings in today's readers, which are enlisted to validate a range of theorised responses. This book will mediate between critics, readers, the author and the original audience, using the 'New Rhetoric' to open fresh perspectives on writers as diverse as Christopher Marlowe, Lucy Hutchinson and Margaret Cavendish.Preface PART I: INTRODUCTION: RECONSIDERED PASSIONS From Perception to Persuasion Why 'Reconsidered Passion'? Emotion, now- and then Introducing the New Rhetoric Empowering the Reader? A 'Double Analysis' - with a difference PART II: SABLE CLOUDS AND SILVER LININGS A Pathetic Muddle? Ideas of Pathos from Plato to Milton The Applications of Pathos Milton's A Masque : the Progression of Pathos PART III; OLD PASSIONS, NEW PURPOSES; RHETORIC RHETORICISED Reconsidering: how and why? Baldwin and Marlowe: Talent and the Spotlight Hutchinson and Cavendish: Writer and Audience Shakespeare: About the Bard's Business Milton: Perspectives on Power PART IV; GOING TO EXTREMES The Extremes of Love and Hate Passionate to a Purpose PART V: ADJUSTING THE MIRRORS The Emotional Laser Marlowe and Baldwin: Designs on the Audience Hutchinson and Cavendish: Rival Reflections Shakespeare: Back to the Audience? Paradise Lost : Engaging the Reader A Case in Point: Wyatt and Gascoigne Conclusion Endnotes Bibliography Index

'Cockroft...breathes new life into two fields, rhetorical theory and English Renaissance literary studies...Highly recommended.' - A.P. Church, Choice

'densely written, but lucidly, and cogently, its carefully plotted sentences encouraging the reader to 'hang in there' and hang in he does, until the argument becomes irresistible. Its capacity to instruct and please (classical style) or empower (modern style) is hardly to be ovló½