Purposive Communication 2/Review on Rhetorics

Women and the History of Rhetoric

MODULE 4: WOMEN AND THE HISTORY OF

RHETORIC

Course Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module, the students will be able to:
1. Analyze what feminist rhetoric is about
2. Discuss the feministic stance of rhetoric
3. Recognize the perspective and motive of feminist rhetoric

Feminist Rhetoric

It is the study and practice of feminist discourses in public and private life. It drew its
grounds from an essential analysis of patriarchy, which identified the 'man-made world'
as one built on the oppression of women. In addition, it integrates a style of
communication known as consciousness-raising.1

Evolution, Perspective and Motive of Feminist Rhetoric

Due to the bias on the dominant gender, most female literary writers opt to conceal their
name through pseudonym or use their initials so not to be pre-judged (e.g. Mary Ann
Evans as George Eliot, Charlotte Bronte as Currer Bell, J.K. Rowling, D.C. Montana,
etc.). In the 1980s, scholars from the discipline were making moves to discontinue the
oppression against women; first, writing women into the history of rhetoric, then, writing
feminist issues into theories of rhetoric, and lastly, writing feminist perspectives into
rhetorical criticism. In the midst of this scholarly activity, connection of rhetoric and
feminist studies have been institutionalized within rhetoric and composition studies,
Purposive Communication 2/Review on Rhetorics
Women and the History of Rhetoric

thanks largely to the work of the Coalition of Women Scholars in the History of Rhetoric
and Composition, which was organized by Winifred Horner, Jan Swearingen, Nan
Johnson, Marjorie Curry Woods, and Kathleen Welch in 1988-1989 and was carried on
by scholars such as Jackie Royster, Andrea Lunsford, Shirley Logan, and Cheryl Glenn.
In 1996, the first edition of the coalition's newsletter, Peitho, was published by Susan
Jarratt. 1

The feminist rhetorical canon has been directed by two primary methodologies (1)
feminist rhetorical recovery of previously ignored or unknown women rhetors (2) is
theorizing of women's rhetorics, or what some have called 'gendered analysis’, which
involve developing a rhetorical thought or approach that accounts for rhetors who are
expelled from traditional rhetoric. 1

The feminist perspective is important as it (a) certifies values and experiences often
associated with women; (b) gives voice to individuals marginalized and undervalued by
the prevailing culture; and (c) establishes and legitimizes a value system that benefits
mutuality, respect, caring, power-with, interconnection, and immanent value, and (5)
they see the definition of feminism as a dynamic and evolving one. 2

A feminist rhetoric of motives can recover the voices and philosophies of women in
classical antiquity by re-establishing to feminine traits and voices the reputation of a
tradition and by awarding them the human quality of agency. James L. Kinneavy wants
to recover the positive aspects of persuasion under the direction of the audience's
decision, free will, and consent, and is successful in this endeavour by borrowing for
belief elements garnered from scanning forward into Christian pistis. The feminine
aspects of persuading that have been belittled as seduction can be similarly saved
through an examination of the close ties among emotion, love, union, and persuasion in
the pre-Socratic lexicon.1
Purposive Communication 2/Review on Rhetorics
Women and the History of Rhetoric

Sources:

1
Nordquist, Richard. (2019). Feminist Rhetoric. Association for Feminist Anthropology.
Date Retrieved September 27, 2019 from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-feminist-
rhetoric-1690791

2
Foss, Karen et. al., (2011). Feminist Rhetorical Theories. Date Retrieved September
27, 2019 from http://afa.americananthro.org/book-review/feminist-rhetorical-theories/