Rhetoric Society Quarterly Mar 2002

Logic, rhetoric, and discourse in the literary texts of nineteenth‐century women

Christine Ross Quinnipiac University

Abstract

Abstract This essay traces the reception of a new grammatical‐rhetorical theory of personification in the canon of textbooks widely used to teach vernacular literacy in the nineteenth century. Invented, in 1751, by James Harris’ Hermes, a work in universal grammar, this new doctrine contributed to the increased masculinity of standard literate performance. Hermes increased the representivity of gendered pronouns and required a contradictory use of gendered personification as if it were both literal and figurative. As a result, two distinctive relations to language were made possible. For men, grammar and rhetoric appear in strict opposition and are always representative of their experience of language. Women literates, who were not taken into account by the masculinist sensibility of Hermes, were assigned, de facto, an anomalous position and a potentially more critical relation to language. The texts of Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen and Sarah Willis ("Fanny Fern “) provide examples which demonstrate that women recognized and profited from their anomalous difference, which suggests the creation of a historically specific l'ecriture feminine.

Journal
Rhetoric Society Quarterly
Published
2002-03-01
DOI
10.1080/02773940209391229
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism discourse analysis grammar and mechanics literacy studies gender and writing
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

References (45)

  1. Aristotle's. 1457b.Poetics5–40. 1459a 1–10
  2. Hedge's, Levi.Elements of Logic; or a Summary of the General Principles and Different Modes of Reasoning56
  3. Aristotle (1941)
    Basic Works of Aristotle
  4. Austen Jane (1980)
    Pride and Prejudice.
  5. Baron Dennis (1986)
    Grammar and Gender.
Show all 45 →
  1. Blair Hugh (1970)
    Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres.
  2. Berlin James (1984)
    Writing Instruction in Nineteenth‐Century American Colleges.
  3. 10.1017/S0047404500004607
     ↗
  4. Brody Miriam (1993)
    Manly Writing: Gender and Rhetoric in the Rise of Composition.
  5. Burke Edmund
    On the Sublime and the Beautiful.
  6. Campbell George (1963)
    Philosophy of Rhetoric.
  7. Capps Jack L. (1966)
    Emily Dickinson's Reading.
  8. Cmiel Kenneth (1990)
    Democratic Eloquence.
  9. Connors Robert (1997)
    Composition—Rhetoric: Backgrounds, Theory, and Pedagogy.
     ↗
  10. Derrida Jacques (1976)
    Of GrammatoIogy.
  11. Dickinson Emily (1958)
    Letters of Emily Dickinson.
  12. _____ (1981)
    Manuscript Books of Emily Dickinson.
  13. _____ (1998)
    Poems of Emily Dickinson.
  14. _____ (1955)
    Poems of Emily Dickinson.
  15. Duchac Joseph (1993)
    Poems of Emily Dickinson: An Annotated Guide to Commentary Published in English, 1978–1989.
  16. Foucault Michel (1971)
    The Order of Things.
  17. Green Keith (1995)
    New Essays on Deixis: Discourse, Narrative, Literature
    Costerus New Series 103  ↗
  18. Hagenbüchle Roland (1974)
    ESQ.
  19. Harris James (1976)
    Hermes: Or, A Philosophical Inquiry Concerning Language and Universal Grammar.
  20. Hedge Levi (1835)
    Elements of Logick; or a Summary of the General Principles and Different Methods of Reasoning.
  21. Kames Lord [Henry Home] (1970)
    Elements of Criticism
  22. Locke John (1979)
    Essay Concerning Human Understanding.
  23. Lowenberg Carlton (1986)
    Emily Dickinson's Textbooks.
  24. Lowth Robert (1979)
    Short Introduction to English Grammar.
  25. Lunsford Andrea (1995)
    Reclaiming Rhetoric: Women in Rhetorical Tradition.
  26. Mellow James R. (1998)
    Nathaniel Hawthorne and His Times.
  27. Miller Cristanne (1987)
    Emily Dickinson: A Poet's Grammar.
  28. Murray Lindley (1981)
    English Grammar.
  29. Newman Samuel (1995)
    ’Practical System of Rhetoric, or the Principles and Rules of Style.
  30. Padley G. A. (1976)
    Gramatical Theory in Western Europe, 1500–1700, The Latin Tradition
  31. Parker Richard Green (1847)
    Aids to English Composition.
  32. Porter David (1966)
    Art of Emily Dickinson's Early Poetry.
     ↗
  33. Sewall Richard (1980)
    Life of Emily Dickinson.
  34. 10.2307/2920330
     ↗
  35. Stonum Gary (1990)
    Dickinson Sublime.
  36. Streuver Nancy S. (1995)
    Rhetorical Traditions and British Romantic Literature
  37. Ulman Louis (1994)
    Things, Thoughts, Words, and Actions: The Problem of Language in Late 18th Century Britis…
  38. Walker Nancy A. (1993)
    Fanny Fern
  39. Wells William Harvey (1984)
    A Grammar of the English Language.
  40. Willis Sarah Parton [Fanny Fern] (1855)
    Ruth Hall: A Domestic Tale of the Present Time.
CrossRef global citation count: 1 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Pedagogy Jan 2024
    The Radical Role of Student Writing in Composition ↗
    Jessica Masterson
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory discourse analysis cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy graduate education teacher development argument collaborative writing professional writing grammar and mechanics literacy studies race and writing gender and writing
  2. Pedagogy Jan 2022
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory discourse analysis african american rhetorics decolonial rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy basic writing writing across the curriculum graduate education teacher development argument collaborative writing transfer assessment portfolios writing program administration writing centers peer tutoring technical communication professional writing archival research digital rhetoric social media grammar and mechanics literacy studies race and writing gender and writing disability studies public rhetoric community literacy literary studies editorial matter
  3. Philosophy & Rhetoric Sep 2024
    Where’s the Rhetoric? Imagining a Unified Field ↗
    Joshua Hanan
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism composition theory genre theory discourse analysis cultural rhetorics argument qualitative research quantitative research digital rhetoric social media grammar and mechanics gender and writing disability studies public rhetoric affect and writing body and rhetoric editorial matter
  4. Pedagogy Apr 2024
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism feminist rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy creative writing teacher development collaborative writing assessment technical communication professional writing grammar and mechanics literacy studies gender and writing literary studies book reviews editorial matter
  5. Rhetorica Mar 2019
    Antebellum American Women’s Poetry: A Rhetoric of Sentiment by Wendy Dasler Johnson ↗
    Paige V. Banaji
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory discourse analysis feminist rhetorics argument archival research literacy studies gender and writing disability studies literary studies