On Eloquence
This poignant book masterfully illustrates the nature of eloquence and the necessity of it in our literature. Eloquence is defined by Donoghue as "those deep skills of imagination by which we get into words, what, when it is there makes them memorable, and what, when it is gone, makes them empty" by R. P. Blackmur. This is but one illustration of the eloquence examined in this intriguing journey into the essence of literary language.
Donoghue defends esthetic language, challenging the contemporary inclination to view words only as instruments for debate, politics, or practical communication. Donoghue's main goal is to distinguish between eloquence and rhetoric. Rhetoric is persuasive and transactional language that is used to accomplish a particular objective, sway opinions, or further an agenda. Eloquence is "gratuitous" and self-sufficient; it is a burst of artistic energy and beauty for its own sake, functioning without regard to purpose or utility. "Saying the right, beautiful thing, regardless of consequences" is his definition of eloquence. Donoghue contends that eloquence functions as an indispensable act of individual freedom and artistic joy (sprezzatura) in a world where "sedated language" and predictable political posturing predominate. The book, which consists of seven linked essays, reads less like a strict academic treatise and more like a contemplative meditation:
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