'A Good Figure Illuminates the Page'. Rhetorical Figures as Persuasive Devices in 19th-century Grammars

Abstract

This paper investigates the use of rhetorical fi gures in six nineteenth-century English manu-als on logic, rhetoric, elocution, style, and composition, examining how these instructional texts employed rhetorical devices not merely as ornamental features but as persuasive tools to enhance pedagogical eff ectiveness. Adopting a qualitative methodology that integratesclose textual analysis and historical-contextual interpretation, the study categorises rhetori-cal fi gures into three principal groups: tropes, fi gures of word choice, and fi gures of thought. The analysis demonstrates that tropes clarify complex ideas through creative associations, fi gures of word choice emphasize key concepts via deliberate lexical and syntactic patterns, and fi gures of thought engage readers by drawing on shared cultural references and scholarly authority. Findings reveal that rhetorical fi gures were systematically interwoven with gram-matical and compositional instruction in these manuals, blending expository and persua-sive styles to improve student understanding and retention. By highlighting the pedagogical function of rhetorical fi gures in nineteenth-century English educational discourse, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the historical evolution of rhetoric in instructional contexts and off ers a foundation for future research on rhetorical argumentation in grammar and composition textbooks from other periods