The Polemical Force of Chekhovian Comedies: A Rhetorical Analysis

By John Mckellor Reid

This work is a revisionist study of Anton Chekhov's drama which points out, for the first time, the rhetorical and polemical elements that have remained unnoticed or unmentioned in previous studies. This work will appeal to scholars interested in Chekhov's plays and the polemical force of drama. emasculate the polemical force Chekhovian comedy out of misplaced respect for his renowned objectivity and his loathing of overt moralizing. A rhetorical framework of analysis is predicated upon the assumption that all writings are implicated in 'interestedness' - the critic's task is to uncover the rhetorical parameters and nature of that 'interestedness.' Through analyses of each of Chekhov's plays in its original context, the author identifies the rhetorical potential that remains neglected in contemporary readings and productions. All of the readings in this study are addressed to actors and directors - inviting them to reassess and reclaim the force of these plays for our time.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0773453881
• ISBN13: 9780773453883
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Edwin Mellen Pr
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"