Meaning and fate of rhetoric in the Christian medieval culture

The observed article is devoted to the analysis of theattitude towards rhetoric art, which was formed in the elite culture of the Middle Ages.Beginning the research, the author claims that it is necessary to take into consideration thosesocio-cultural conditions, in which the considered attitude was being formed. Only in that case it willbe possible to perceive it properly. The point is that early Christian intellectuals characterizing rhetoricnegatively often meant mainly its contemporary condition aside from its timeless essence.If we try to distinguish the medieval perception of that essence we will be to accept that it was notdifferent from the perception of art as such. According to it, eloquence was treated as at least ethicallyneutral phenomenon. There is no evil in its nature. Harm is done exclusively from its undue usage. St.Augustine, the founder of the church rhetoric, argued that misapplication of eloquence proper to thepagans should not be deemed as an obstacle for its right use by Christians.Nevertheless, discredit of rhetoric in late Antiquity, as well as specifics of its essence, determinedan ambivalent attitude towards it. Consideration of that attitude occupies the rest part of the paper. Itsnegative aspect manifested itself in postulating of refusal from rhetoric. However, it is necessary toadmit that the mentioned refusal was declared more often, than it was fulfilled in practice.The positive aspect of that attitude was connected with understanding of rhetoric importance inChurch teaching. The author finds its core in the tendency to bring about Christian adaptation ofeloquence, which was characteristic of the medieval culture. The adaptation consisted in conformationof rhetoric art to the imperatives of Christian speech ethics. In order to accomplish that aim it wasneeded to enter eloquence in the context of the Christian world-view, to set it on the new ideologicalfoundation.

Keywords

Authors

References