Christian and Literary Rhetorics of the Early Middle Ages

A key insight from the study is the 'naturalization' of ethical defenses in rhetorical traditions, particularly evident in monastic and clerical rhetorics from the 6th to the 12th centuries. This shift weakened the explicit articulation of ethical dimensions in stylistic teaching about emotion, as seen in works by Isidore of Seville, Bede, Rupert of Deutz, and Onulf of Speyer. The research traces this evolution through a comparative analysis of late antique and early Christian texts, including Augustine’s De doctrina christiana, Macrobius’ Saturnalia, and Cassiodorus’ psalm commentary. By examining how ethical values were either overtly stated or implicitly assumed, the study highlights the diminishing force of rhetorical ethics over time, contributing to a deeper understanding of medieval literary and religious discourse.

Copeland, R. (2021). Christian and Literary Rhetorics of the Early Middle Ages. Emotion and the History of Rhetoric in the Middle Ages, 58–103. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192845122.003.0003