Debate, Dialogue and Advice: Launching France on Rhetoric

Undergraduate

Discussion, whether among equals or in a hierarchical dynamic, shapes politics, culture and worldview. Questions such as the ideal form of government and the most desirable way of life are staged in early literature that uses platforms of debate, dialogue and counsel to sway listening audiences and individual readers, from powerful princes to townspeople. Readings may include works by Peter Abelard, Jean de Meun, Guillaume de Machaut, Philippe de Mézières, Christine de Pizan, and Alain Chartier.