SPCM 201 1st Edition Lecture 13Ars Dictaminis: The Art of Letter Writing We’ve come a long way from Plato… Plato indicted the new technology of writing in Gorgias But by the middle Ages, writing had become a key tool of the literati Literate, educated few C.a. 500-1300 A.D. Doing writing well then became an important concern Why Consider Letter-Writing Rhetorical? These Letters… Were often read aloud - Read by a herald- Many medieval kings and queens could not read Communicated rhetorical content - Politics, legal records, etc. Were often written in a persuasive nature Correspondence was sometimes published - i.e. public Used rhetorical style - Tropes and figures Who is Writing Letters? Royals, Rulers, Kings, and Queens And “lesser” nobles The Pope and Clergy Especially the Curia Merchants and Businessmen Including some women Notaries Students and Academics “Dictators”: teachers of letter writing A Letter, then, Should Be… “a suitable arrangement of words set forth to express the intended meaning of its sender.” Goals “the setting-forth of” “treatment of”These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute. “statement about” …some matter in a written format Almost exclusively written in Latin- It is the language of the church Successful Letters Make Choices About Style and Audience What stylistic forms should a letter be written in? Metrical (Shakespearean) Rhythmic (rhyming) or particular structure Prosaic (continuous flow) How does style presume a particular audience? “Approved and basic” format - Appropriate for the least educated “Accordance with circumstances” format - Appeals to more expert writers The Parts of a Letter (1) Salutation: the formal greeting Potentially highly stylized Establishes social rank between sender/receiver (2) Securing of Goodwill: building credibility and trust (ethos); maybe flattery (3) Narration: explanation of the issue or situation (4) Petition: Specific request for action This is the thing I need you to accomplish after receiving this letter (5) Conclusion: formal sign-of Also completed with a bit of flare …Not Coincidentally Matches Cicero’s six Parts of a Speech… Exordium Narratio Divisio Confirmatio Refutatio Peroratio This format was used not to argue a point, but to prepare a listener to accept its conclusion Make the recipient “attentive, docile, and well-disposed” This may seem outdated,
View Full Document
Unlocking...