Book Series Disputatio, vol. 2

Rhetoric and Renewal in the Latin West 1100-1540

Essays in Honour of John O. Ward

Constant Mews, Cary J. Nederman, Rod M. Thomson (eds)

  • Pages: 270 p.
  • Size:160 x 240 mm
  • Illustrations:1 b/w
  • Language(s):English
  • Publication Year:2003

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  • ISBN: 978-2-503-51340-9
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  • ISBN: 978-2-503-53751-1
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The essays in this volume, presented in honour of John O. Ward, explore the role of rhetoric in promoting reform and renewal in the Latin West from Peter Abelard (1079-1142) to Juan Luis Vives (1492-1540).

Review(s)

"This volume offers medievalists and others interested in the intellectual history of the period insight into the practical applications of the study of rhetoric. It is a worthy tribute to honoree John Ward." (M. Ragnow: Sixteenth Century Journal, XXXVII/3, Fall 2006, p. 776-777)

"All of the essays are strenuously argued, and the collection is stimulating and provocative. It will be of immense interest to established scholars and research students who appreciate the centrality of rhetoric in medieval culture. The volume is also a fitting tribute to the individual whom it was compiled to honour." (W. Marx in Rhetorical Revieuw, N° 4:3, October 2006, p.20-23)

"We can all be grateful for the appearance of this volume, which will be essential to anyone working in medieval rhetoric and valuable to anyone who wants a greater understanding of medieval textual practices." (J. C. Dietrich, in: The Medieval Review, 04.06.17)

Summary

The essays in this volume, presented in honour of John O. Ward, explore the role of rhetoric in promoting reform and renewal in the Latin West from Peter Abelard (1079-1142) to Juan Luis Vives (1492-1540). Ward, who has taught for many years at the University of Sydney, has been an influential and creative force in medieval and Renaissance studies both in Australia and internationally. This volume opens with a personal memoir and bibliography of Ward's publications, as well as an overview of the study of medieval rhetoric. The first of the three sections, 'Abelard and Rhetoric', relates Abelard's rhetoric to his logic, his theology, and his relationship to Heloise. A second section, 'Voices of Reform', considers various writers (William of Malmesbury, John of Salisbury, Richard FitzNigel, and William of Ockham) who bring rhetorical techniques to bear upon analysis of social conditions. A third section, 'Rhetoric in Transition', deals with the evolution of rhetorical theory between the late fourteenth and early sixteenth centuries. The volume will be of interest not just to specialists in rhetoric, but to all concerned with issues of reform and renewal in European culture during the period 1100-1540.

Contributors: Martin Camargo, Rita Copeland, Virginia Cox, Karin Margareta Fredborg, Constant J. Mews, Peter von Moos, James J. Murphy, Cary J. Nederman, Juanita Feros Ruys, John Scott, Nancy S. Struever, Rodney M. Thomson, and Michael Winterbottom.