Introduction
Rhetoric has formed and organized human understanding of the language nature and literature purpose for hundreds of years. It is considered to be of great importance in recognition and exploration of the literary history development together with the elements of politics, philosophy, and culture. The practice and nature of rhetoric have always been central to Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Classical cultures; its value and significance still take one of the central positions in our postmodern world in order to provide inspiration for further debate. It should be noted that political official documents and rules accepted in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Federalist papers are merely based on the rhetoric principles of Renaissance and Enlightenment. Great theorists of previous centuries devoted their works to the exploration, development, and study of these major principles.
Main body
In the Advancement of Learning by Bacon, the intervention is regarded from two points of view. The author developed his theory concentrating on the scientific and speech aspects of the intervention. He stated that this notion could be defined as the process of discovering and exploration of something new rather than recovering the well-known information. He pointed out two major courses as Suggestion and Preparation. The preparatory aspect of the theoretical point concerns both rhetoric and logic side; it provides the stage of preparation for the information analysis. Suggestion directs our thoughts and mind to certain places which are the central points of the data and knowledge reproduction. According to Bacon the process of knowledge retaining or custody could be observed in Memory or Writing. The content of the memory containing prenotion and emblem examines human abilities to the knowledge remembering and information recycling. It provides intellectual images to strike the memory and stimulate the process of remembering. The theory of Bacon discloses the main aspects of the Renaissance period containing the principles of the Art of Rhetoric. The rhetorical side of his study confirms the aspect that no one in the world can be fair in his words and speech, no matter what field of social life is covered, either politics or culture. The points covered by Rhetoric as a science and Logic highlight similar problems though differing in nature and character. Rhetoric in the theory of Bacon treats reason as a set of popular manners and opinions, while Logic understands it in truth and exact.
Thus, the theory of the Advancement of Learning developed in the Renaissance period by Bacon was concentrated on the rhetoric aspects of learning underlining the main positions of the knowledge and its components; Bacon managed to highlight the methods of rhetorical study which characterized all the representatives of the Renaissance culture. (Bacon, 740).
The culture of Renaissance and Enlightenment of Rhetoric study contributed to the nature of the official papers of the USA. The Federalist Paper by James Madison highlighted the principle points of the Constitution and the official state of the USA from the rhetoric point of view. The paper discloses the faction violence of the country, its control, and possibilities of the breakage. The author stated that injustice, instability, and introduced social confusion among the publicity were considered to be the so-called “mortal disease” of the state influencing the actions of the popular governments. The Constitution improvements made on the ancient and modern popular models were rejected by society. The citizens expressed complaints and caused global conflicts in the country; they try to unite under the common positions and impulse of passion in order to back their rights in the community. The paper taking into account the main principles of rhetoric is merely concentrated on the following methods of the faction curing:
- The providing of the faction control;
- The process of its causes removing that is the liberty destruction being the background of the problem and providing the citizens with common interests and passions.
James Madison stated that the faction causes have been rooted in the nature of people. The reason is the difference among people as to their opinions in the positions of religion, governmental power, and politics. James Madison underlined the fact that no one could be allowed to be a judge; the reason being can be explained by the interests of every person. The opinions of people differing in nature would bias their judgments.
The analysis of the paper showed that even enlightened statesmen would not be able to adjust the public interests without taking into account social indirect considerations which may be found as those disregarding the rights of others’ opinions. The causes of the faction are based on the indifference of the society which cannot be substituted or even removed. This position enables people to defeat their opinions with the help of voting. It may cause the clog of administration and social convulsion but nevertheless, it would never mask and execute the violence under the Constitution forms. The inquiries are merely directed at the public security and private rights defeat. The author proved that this object could be attained with the help of the following positions:
- The prevention of the similar interests and passion in the society happening at the same time;
- The rendering of the majority with common interest or passion by means of local and number situation being unable to concert and fall under the effects of the oppression. (Farrell, 2006).
Taking into account the main positions of the rhetorical study the author highlighted the major differences between the republic and democracy depending on the spheres of the country and number of citizens. The great majority of citizens are responsible for the support of their rights in a democratic state being able to avoid and resist oppression. The author stated that the smaller the social group is the fewer number of parties supporting particular interests will be. Nevertheless, the advantage of the republic over democracy is the complete control over the faction effects. Thus, it is important to stress that the main aspect of the work by James Madison is concentrating on the faction resistance of the society which is the background of all social problems and misunderstandings. The character of Federalists being based on the Renaissance and Enlightenment rhetoric contains the major aspects of the social remedy providing public unity avoiding debts and property division which are the major reasons for social inequality in the United States. (Madison, 1787).
The principles of the Renaissance and Enlightenment rhetoric left a print on the interpretation and the nature of the Declaration of Independence. This paper is considered to be one of the most masterfully and properly written official documents. The political prose style and extraordinary merits are regarded as the background for the Declaration assessment. The characteristic of Stephen Lucas’ time contributed to the paper of the Declaration analysis. He stated that the major and principle word in the introductory part of the document was considered to be “necessary” which identified the mood of the 19th century. It explains the function of persuasion of the document; it is aimed to declare the publicity the main positions and aspects of the US, to inform the society about the causes of the state objectivity. The notion “necessary” dominating in the document means the desire frustration prevailing in the society. The author of the paper under analysis understood the beginning of the Declaration as the address to the British American conflict directly. This official document refers to the general governmental philosophy making the revolution between two states justifiable. It should be noted that the document is thoroughly written making each word aimed at achievement of the strong social impact. The well constructed sentences are the characteristic of the Enlightenment prose style of the 18th century. It expresses directness, simplicity and the highest literary and rhetoric virtues. The tone of the document, according to the position of the Lucas’ study refers to the principles of rhetoric. Thus, Hugh Blair in the work “Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Letters” stated the following:
“…the composing manner of the document is quite pompous and musical giving the idea that the dignity and gravity are reinforced by the principles of rhetorical perception… ” (Lucas, 538)
The analysis of the Declaration by Lucas is considered to be the approval of the fact that this set of rules had a powerful meaning of structural unity. The author of the paper managed to show that the document is directed against the tyrannical authority from the rhetoric point of view. The structure and the nature of the document are merely based on the major principles and aspects of the Enlightenment culture. It is important to stress that the text of the declaration as it was underlined by Lucas is merely directed at the conflict of British America’s character. The notion of “facts” dominating the structure of the Declaration sentences is considered to undergo a lot of different connotations; nevertheless, the major one referred to the eighteenth century meaning the thing being already done. This position proves the Renaissance’s impact on the nature of the document. Jefferson and Congress accepted the meaning of the “facts” reflecting it in the character of the Declaration principles.
Thus, the detailed analysis of the Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence written by Stephen Lucas is considered to be the reflection of the methods and rules used in the rhetoric study. The exploration of the document showed the print of the 18th century and Renaissance features left not only on the structure of the paper but on the character and sense of the words used in it. (Lucas, 540).
Conclusion
To conclude the analysis of the Enlightenment and Renaissance cultures based on rhetorical principles it should be stated that the political side of the United States of America, its official documents, and federalists’ papers reflect the major aspects of the 17-18th centuries highlighting the nature of the cultures. The great theorists as it was discovered in the essay devoted their work to the rhetoric aspects of the American official papers. It allowed seeing the main features of the Renaissance and Enlightenment principles. The theoretical points and views on the political life of the society from the rhetoric side disclosed the major principles of the government position and documental place in the community. Thus, the Renaissance and Enlightenment rhetoric principles appeared to take a significant place in the official political life of the USA.
References
Bacon, F. The Advancement of Learning. The Book II. pp. 740 – 745. n.d.
Madison, J. The Federalists No. 10. The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard against Domestic Faction and Insurrection. Daily Advertiser. 1787.
Lucas, S. Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence. Close Textual Analysis. pp. 531 – 546.
Swift, J. A Modest Proposal. London, 1729.
Farrell, J. The science of Suspicion. Panorama and Modernity. Chapter 6. 2006.