Chiara Rolli

Parliamentary Emotions: Edmund Burke’s Experiment against a Monstrous Imperial System

Are you already subscribed?
Login to check whether this content is already included on your personal or institutional subscription.

Abstract

This article looks at Edmund Burke’s rhetoric of pathos and spectacular performance at the trial of the first Governor-General of Bengal, Warren Hastings (1788-95). It considers how the acting style and the roles interpreted by contemporary celebrated performers – specifically, David Garrick and Sarah Siddons – had a considerable impact on Burke’s speeches and exaggerated theatricality. Focusing on the “Speech on the Opening of the Impeachmentµ, I argue that, within an already theatricalized matrix of public interest, Burke largely based his prosecution on emotions rather than on legal proofs.

Keywords

  • Edmund Burke
  • Oratory
  • Theatre
  • Emotions
  • Warren Hastings
  • David Garrick
  • Sarah Siddons

Preview

Article first page

What do you think about the recent suggestion?

Trova nel catalogo di Worldcat