Rhetoric Re-View: The Rhetorical Tradition and Modern Writing

Abstract

Rhetoric Re-View was established under the founding editorship of Theresa J. Enos and has been a feature of Rhetoric Review for over twenty-five years. The objective of Rhetoric Re-View is to offer review essays of prominent works that have made an impact on rhetoric. Reviewers evaluate the merits of established works, discussing their past and present contributions. The intent is to provide a long-term evaluation of significant research while also introducing important, established scholarship to those entering the field. This Rhetoric Re-View essay examines the long-term importance and impact of the 1982 MLA volume The Rhetorical Tradition and Modern Writing edited by James J. Murphy.

Dedication: This Rhetoric Re-View essay is dedicated to the memory of James J. Murphy, who edited The Rhetorical Tradition and Modern Writing and, in addition to his impressive scholarship, served for many years on the editorial board of Rhetoric Review. Professor Murphy was 98 years old when he passed away shortly before Christmas 2021.

Notes

Notes

1 Those who wish to read a brilliant account of the place of rhetoric and writing in the founding of MLA should consult James L. Kinneavy’s A Theory of Discourse. A complementary perspective that is equally insightful is offered by Robert Scholes’s The Rise and Fall of English.

2 An account of Murphy’s contributions can be found in “James J. Murphy’s Contributions to the Study of Latin Rhetoric.” An obituary honoring Professor Murphy can be found on the website of the American Society for the History of Rhetoric, “James J. Murphy and the American Society for the History of Rhetoric: A Personal Reflection.” Both essays were written by Richard Leo Enos.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Richard Leo Enos

Richard Leo Enos is an Emeritus Piper Professor (State of Texas) and Quondam Holder of the Lillian Radford Chair of Rhetoric and Composition at Texas Christian University. He is the past president of both The American Society for the History of Rhetoric and The Rhetoric Society of America. He is an Emeritus Member of the Managing Committee of The American School of Classical Studies at Athens and served on the editorial board of Rhetoric Review for over 30 years.