What I liked while reading this chapter on the Renaissance rhetoric was the mention of humanism as the first intellectual movement of the Renaissance - one that I had not thought of before. People beginning to think of themselves and others as one whole connected by humanity, is endearing and powerful. Although this movement was largely in the northern Italian area, where Petrarch spent many times. Petrarch's style was inspired by Cicero, and developed after his discovery of much of Cicero's old work (letters) - it is in this inspiration that humanitias was born and later became the humanism movement (pp. 558). This shift introduces a ore personal style to rhetoric. While reading this I related this movement as one that may have been comparable to the development of voice in writing. The distinction of writers/orators/speakers from one another. Although I am sure that scholars could be distinguished before this development of a "more personal and literary style", this movement may have brought more value to this aspect of an author's presence as a result of the humanism aspect being introduced (pp. 558).
Another section I found valuable and relevant to myself was "Italian Women Humanists", one of the first introductions of female contenders in the readings. I read, learning what I should have expected, about the effects of culture on the female scholars. Many did not continue after marriage - customary but disheartening for the development of women academics, although appropriate to the time. It is enlightening to see the treatment of women is routinely constant throughout history in sectors, not exempt from ancient rhetoricians. It leaves me questioning when women will be seen in the same light as the dominant group...leading into social inequalities and away from rhetoric, I digress.
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