Basic Knowledge
The book Rhetoric in the Middle Ages, by James J. Murphy, clarified how, why, and when classical rhetoric ceased, and medieval rhetoric began. Although the events described in the book were not new to me, I managed to understand the logic of the transition from one tradition to another and the features of these changes. Thus, I replenished knowledge of the meaning of the tradition of Cicero and Quintilian, which became so dominant in the West that it has survived for centuries as the basis for higher education in the West. In turn, about the third tradition, I advanced that the sophistic tradition was the most widespread, and the influence of sophistic rhetoric does not weaken both in the Latin-speaking West and in the Greek-speaking East. Regarding the fourth tradition, I advanced that although it received the least attention from historians of rhetoric, it may have had the most impact on Latin rhetoric.
Furthermore, the connection of these traditions with medieval arts turned out to be new for me. Thus, in the main body Murphy defines and explains how these four ancient traditions evolved into what he calls the three medieval arts of rhetoric: Ars Poseriae, prescriptive grammar and poetry; Ars dictaminis the art of letter-writing; and Ars praedicandi, the art of preaching (135). Having particular importance, and as Murphy showed, these expressions of rhetoric formed the basis of the Latin American rhetoric of the West, which advanced my knowledge of rhetoric and philosophy of communication.
Metaphor and Argument
The central theme of Murphy’s research is the evolution of rhetorical art from classical antiquity to the Renaissance. The author emphasizes the gradual erosion of areas of grammar and rhetoric and then explores the possible fragmentation of rhetorical theory into different subtypes, the purpose of which is to provide practical advice to future poets, letter writers, and preachers. In Rhetoric in the Middle Ages, Murphy identified the dominant traditions of classical rhetoric in the West and well outlined the specifics of the transition from classical to medieval rhetoric. Murphy recognizes four main traditions that grew into late antiquity (3). The first tradition was the Greek theoretical tradition of Plato and Aristotle, which focused on a philosophical perspective that explored the inherent nature and value of rhetoric as a subject worthy of study.
The second major classical tradition that Murphy highlights was the Roman civic tradition of Cicero and Quintilian, which centered on the development of a person for productive life and the inherent benefits of civic rhetoric (18). The third tradition, the Greco-Roman tradition of the second sophism, had a pervasive influence on Latin rhetoric. The fourth tradition of classical rhetoric that Murphy introduced was the Greco-Roman tradition of poetry and grammar. Thus, of these four traditions, it is presented how talented Murphy has provided a macroscopic framework that explains the transition from classical to medieval rhetoric and the various manifestations of rhetoric throughout the Roman Empire.
Relevance
Rhetoric is in demand nowadays as a tool for managing and improving the life of society, for forming a personality through the word. Rhetoric teaches thinking, fosters a sense of the word, forms taste, and establishes the integrity of the worldview. Through advice and recommendations, thoughtful and expressive texts, rhetorical education dictates the style of thought and life of modern society, giving confidence in today’s and tomorrow’s existence.
Murphy’s three medieval arts of rhetoric, as in the case of classical rhetoric, were responses to the social, political, and religious needs of their time. Accordingly, we can conclude that communicative tendencies directly depend on the specific situation in society. We live in an era of hazy thoughts phrased in ambiguous language. Spreaders of half-truths and nonsense have spread from the business world to government centers and even invaded the academic community. Therefore, I read the monograph by James Murphy with scientific interest and a new assessment of those medieval rhetoricians for whom clarity was a necessity and eloquence was a virtue. Thus, Murphy’s postulates, set forth by Rhetoric in the Middle Ages, more than ever need to be understood and applied in the modern world, which is characterized by a loss of rhetorical skills. Moreover, I can apply it to improve my rhetorical skills.
Work Cited
Murphy, James J. Rhetoric in the Middle Ages: A History of Rhetorical Theory from Saint Augustine to the Renaissance. University of California Press, 1974.