ABSTRACT

The Romantic era heralded a new age of rhetoric in which the spoken word was cultivated into a truly eloquent form: the art of oratory. Such forms of expression – used both within and beyond the realm of parliamentary debates – were frequently adopted by radical speakers, who sought to promote freedom of speech and advocated for the working class to be granted more rights. At a time when the English government imposed strict censorship measures on the people, the art of oratory became a powerful tool of resistance, especially for radicals, Dissenters, intellectuals and activists. In this article, I discuss the rhetorical strategies that were employed by three types of orators from different social classes: politicians, female activists, and radicals from the Midlands. All of these figures played crucial roles in influencing public opinion both before and during the ‘Peterloo Massacre’. In fact, the rhetorical strategies and symbols used by orators at St. Peter’s field are still pertinent today. Many of these hallmarks of oratory can be discerned in the speeches that are delivered to modern audiences. Most notably, such rhetorical devices are still used by protesters and campaigners on an international scale in order to effect social change and to combat social inequality.

摘要

浪漫主义时代预示着一个新的修辞时代，口语被培养成一种真正雄辩的形式：演讲艺术。这种表达形式——在议会辩论范围内外使用——经常被激进的演讲者采用，他们寻求促进言论自由并主张赋予工人阶级更多的权利。在英国政府对人民实行严格的审查措施的时候，演讲艺术成为一种强大的抵抗工具，尤其是对激进分子、异议人士、知识分子和活动家而言。在本文中，我将讨论来自不同社会阶层的三类演说家所采用的修辞策略：政治家、女性活动家和来自中部地区的激进分子。所有这些人物在“彼得卢大屠杀”之前和期间都在影响公众舆论方面发挥了关键作用。事实上，圣彼得领域演说家使用的修辞策略和符号在今天仍然具有相关性。在向现代听众发表的演讲中，可以看出许多演讲的标志。最值得注意的是，这种修辞手段仍在国际范围内被抗议者和活动家使用，以影响社会变革并消除社会不平等。