Alle radici dell’eloquenza shakespeariana. La retorica tra antichità classica ed età cristiana

Abstract

Abstract – The first part of the chapter introduces a short history of classical rhetoric, focusing in particular on the theories of Isocrates and Aristotle in the Greek context, and Cicero and Quintilian in the Latin context. The second part stresses that Christianity revitalizes rhetoric, which was condemned to sterility and decadence due to the lack of parrhesia within the empire. Putting Logos at the center of his reflection and proposing to spread the message of salvation among all men, Christianity recovers the fruitful link between words and life that had characterized the great seasons of Athens democracy and of the Roman republic. The last part analyzes a particular rhetorical technique, the metric clause.