Ruskin, Bright, and the Politics of Eloquence

Abstract

Argues that the varying styles and figurative language of Ruskin’s lectures offer an instructive insight into the cultural significance of public speaking in mid-nineteenth-century England. Traces a public argument between Bright and Ruskin that debated political tastes and the efficacy of certain forms of public speaking through allusions to literary texts. Concludes that, for the future study of a culture in transition, the politics of oral style might profitably be considered alongside the literary styles of politics.