Chapter 7. “All which I offer with my own experience”
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M. Victoria Domínguez Rodríguez
Abstract
In 17th-century England, a growing popular interest in medical literature brought with it a significant editorial boom in the field. This meant that the number of midwifery treatises published gradually increased, resulting in strong competition for a place in the sales market. Authors, editors and other agents deployed different advertising strategies in the front matter of the books, which served as publicity blurbs specifically designed to convince the potential reader to buy the work. Such strategies were supported by a series of arguments and assertions both to attract the readers’ attention and to help increase sales of the product. In this paper we identify and analyse the persuasive marketing strategies used to construct the prefatory discourse in a selection of 17th-century English midwifery treatises. Taking into account some studies on current advertising strategies, Genette’s (1997) theory on paratext and Aristotle’s classical rhetorical model, we have classified marketing strategies into those which are (1) focused on who produces the text, that is, how the authors establish authority and use their professional experience and moral integrity to convince the potential user to buy their book over another (ethos); (2) intended to highlight the relevant role of midwives in taking care of women and newborns and securing their welfare (pathos); and (3) related to the quality and utility of the work (logos).
Abstract
In 17th-century England, a growing popular interest in medical literature brought with it a significant editorial boom in the field. This meant that the number of midwifery treatises published gradually increased, resulting in strong competition for a place in the sales market. Authors, editors and other agents deployed different advertising strategies in the front matter of the books, which served as publicity blurbs specifically designed to convince the potential reader to buy the work. Such strategies were supported by a series of arguments and assertions both to attract the readers’ attention and to help increase sales of the product. In this paper we identify and analyse the persuasive marketing strategies used to construct the prefatory discourse in a selection of 17th-century English midwifery treatises. Taking into account some studies on current advertising strategies, Genette’s (1997) theory on paratext and Aristotle’s classical rhetorical model, we have classified marketing strategies into those which are (1) focused on who produces the text, that is, how the authors establish authority and use their professional experience and moral integrity to convince the potential user to buy their book over another (ethos); (2) intended to highlight the relevant role of midwives in taking care of women and newborns and securing their welfare (pathos); and (3) related to the quality and utility of the work (logos).
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
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Part I. Conceptualisations of text and framing phenomena
- Chapter 1. Framing framing 3
- Chapter 2. On the dynamic interaction between peritext and epitext 33
- Chapter 3. The footnote in Late Modern English historiographical writing 63
- Chapter 4. Threshold-switching 91
- Chapter 5. Framing material in early literacy 115
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Part II. Framing and audience orientation
- Chapter 6. Paratext and ideology in 17th-century news genres 137
- Chapter 7. “All which I offer with my own experience” 163
- Chapter 8. “I write not to expert practitioners, but to learners” 187
- Chapter 9. Book producers’ comments on text-organisation in early 16th-century English printed paratexts 209
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Part III. Form and layout in framing
- Chapter 10. Paratextual features in 18th-century medical writing 233
- Chapter 11. Recuperating Older Scots in the early 18th century 267
- Chapter 12. Paratext, information studies, and Middle English manuscripts 289
- Index 309
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
-
Part I. Conceptualisations of text and framing phenomena
- Chapter 1. Framing framing 3
- Chapter 2. On the dynamic interaction between peritext and epitext 33
- Chapter 3. The footnote in Late Modern English historiographical writing 63
- Chapter 4. Threshold-switching 91
- Chapter 5. Framing material in early literacy 115
-
Part II. Framing and audience orientation
- Chapter 6. Paratext and ideology in 17th-century news genres 137
- Chapter 7. “All which I offer with my own experience” 163
- Chapter 8. “I write not to expert practitioners, but to learners” 187
- Chapter 9. Book producers’ comments on text-organisation in early 16th-century English printed paratexts 209
-
Part III. Form and layout in framing
- Chapter 10. Paratextual features in 18th-century medical writing 233
- Chapter 11. Recuperating Older Scots in the early 18th century 267
- Chapter 12. Paratext, information studies, and Middle English manuscripts 289
- Index 309
