Provocative Eloquence: Theater, Violence, and Anti-Slavery Speech in the Antebellum United States

In the mid-19th century, the rhetoric surrounding slavery was permeated by violence, and the theater was a crucial platform for anti-slavery speech and open conflict. Provocative Eloquence explores how the confluence of oratorical and theatrical practices in the antebellum period reflected the conflict over slavery and deeply influenced the language that barely contained it.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2019
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

In the mid-19th century, the rhetoric surrounding slavery was characterized by a pervasive atmosphere of violence. Slavery defenders resorted to brute force to suppress their opponents, even those abolitionists who advocated for pacifism resorted to visions of widespread destruction.

Provocative Eloquence delves into how the theater, a longstanding platform for heightened eloquence and physical competition, played a crucial role in the lead-up to the Civil War. As anti-slavery speech and open conflict converged, the nation transformed into a stage where the clash of ideas took center stage.

The book employs intertextuality and interperformativity to explore how the confluence of oratorical and theatrical practices during the antebellum period reflected the intense conflict over slavery and profoundly shaped the language that barely contained it. By drawing on a diverse range of work in performance studies, theater history, black performance theory, oratorical studies, and literature and law, the book offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between the oratorical, theatrical, and literary histories of nineteenth-century America.

The theater, as a medium that combined spoken words with physical performance, provided a unique platform for the expression of anti-slavery sentiment. Orators such as Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and John Brown used their powerful voices and captivating oratory skills to galvanize support for abolition and challenge the legitimacy of slavery. Their speeches, delivered in public forums and published in newspapers, reached a wide audience and helped to shape public opinion.

At the same time, theatrical performances also played a significant role in shaping the debate over slavery. Plays such as Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, depicted the brutal realities of plantation life and highlighted the hypocrisy of slaveholders. These plays not only entertained audiences but also educated them about the evils of slavery and contributed to the growing abolitionist movement.

Furthermore, the book explores how the intersection of oratorical and theatrical practices influenced the language used to describe and discuss slavery. The use of dramatic metaphors, imagery, and symbolism in speeches and plays helped to evoke powerful emotions and convey the urgency of the abolitionist cause. The language used became more assertive and direct, as speakers and writers sought to make their messages heard and to inspire action.

In conclusion, Provocative Eloquence offers a compelling account of how the theater played a pivotal role in the antebellum period, shaping the rhetoric surrounding slavery and contributing to the growing abolitionist movement. By exploring the intertextuality and interperformativity of oratorical and theatrical practices, the book provides a fresh perspective on the complex and multifaceted history of nineteenth-century America.

Weight: 578g
Dimension: 166 x 236 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472131051