Rhetorische Kommunikation in den Kaiserreden des 12. Jahrhunderts: Der Kontakt zum Publikum

What is it about?

This study focuses on the way in which the rhetor communicated with his audience, as this can be seen in the texts of the imperial speeches of the 12th century. A comparative study is done of nine imperial speeches made to the emperor Manuel I Komnenos, which are to be found in a codex, the Escorialensis Y-II-10. The signalling of the desire for communication between the rhetor and his public (usually the emperor and the audience in general) is done through addresses. Who is addressed and what vocabulary is used, which is the stylistic level, at which points in the speech does the rhetor feel the need to address the public and which rhetorical or other functions are served are the main questions that this study poses and attempts to answer.

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