The initial definition of a letter or epistle seems straight forward enough:
a suitable arrangement of words set forth to express the intended meaning of its sender. (Anonymous, B&H, p. 497)Even the parts of a letter seem to roughly coincide with the style of rhetoric we have discussed thus far. I was even trying to make the connection of "the Securing of Goodwill" (B&H, p. 497) to Cicero's insistence that the rhetor connect with his audience.
However, in a matter of about eight lines, although structure is still clearly defined, the flourishes overtake the greeting. The simple number of "appropriate" salutations is overdone, much like the art of the later period. Salutations are almost colossal in their introductions. My favorite is "A Pupil to His Teacher":
To Mrs. Fontaine, by divine grace resplendent in Ciceronian Charm, John, inferior to his devoted learning, expresses the servitude of a sincere heart." (p. 501)It might be interesting to trace the evolution of the above to "Hey, Ms. F."
On the other hand, sermons take on an incredibly tight structure with little room for deviation. "Indeed it is considered incorrect if one puts in his theme a quotation from another translation than the one commonly used" (p. 532). The preacher becomes a horse with blinders, limited to pre-approved ideas he is permitted to use to share with his parishioners.
I thought, however, element's of Cicero's rhetor might still emerge from the preacher in the 2nd ornament of preaching--winning over the audience. But only one technique appears to attempt a genuine connection with the audience--opening with something subtle and interesting. The remaining techniques induce fear tactics and deceit--if you "hear the word of God" from the preacher, you're predestined--one of the elect.
I can see some connections with sermons and letter writing to our earlier rhetors, but much of the content and style seem to be gone.
Perhaps the style is not gone, but it is more descriptive than was previously used. Writers are more concerned with putting together the proper salutations so as not to offend the reader in the first few lines than the specific content of the letter. Style in terms of the way the letters began appears to be more important than in the oral discourse previously preformed by Aristotle and the others before him.
ReplyDeleteYou said, "This week's readings reminded me of an odd mix of the late Baroque/Rocco period and Calvinism. Since I am an expert in neither area, my connections may be flawed, but reading about letter writing conventions during the Medieval period brought to mind largesse and overdone characteristics of Baroque and Rocco art."
ReplyDeleteI noticed this as well. The wording seemed overdone, like including "though unworthy" after the author's title.
Nice thinking about elaboration and exactness here. Nice thinking about sermons. Others have written about letters. Might be useful to look at their blog posts as well. Nice thinking about how form relates to translation.
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