Tricia Adams Blog #3 Chambers of Rhetoric

3. How “rhetorical” were the Chambers of Rhetoric? What groups were free to use this performance venue as a medium for social critique and self-expression? Were these organizations capable of true subversion of dominant contemporary values and institutions?

The Dutch Cambers of Rhetoric was a phenomenon that escalated during the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. Members of the societies were usually middle class merchants, professionals, and more affluent members of the artisan class. The Chambers of Rhetoric were vital and dynamic in their theatre, where they entertained their audiences with a focus on publicly examining the important moral, philosophical, and offer insights on social issues during their time. The members were rhetorical because they took on leadership roles, where they represented and reified the social status quo. For example, the purpose of the organization made efforts in teaching one another on critical skills, such as reading, writing, and public speaking. With this social support of helping one another learn these valuable abilities, created and established camaraderie within the Chambers and benefited the individual’s status making them a more functional person during this time. This also inspired other patrons on the importance of these skills.
Landjuweels, were formal competitive performance festivals where the Chambers of Rhetoric performed. These performance festivals were open to the public, where everyone was enthusiastically willing to attend. These functions were very competitive, where Chamber contestants competed for prizes including: best play, the best farcical entertainment, the most beautiful blazon, the best acting, the best poem, the best reader of a poem, the best orator, the best song, the best singing, and the fool who entertained the best. Performances took place on platforms and backed with an elaborate architectural façade. The façade typically served as a throne for the figure in whose honor the contest was held. The throne might be occupied by figures representing the Virgin, the Holy Trinity, Honor, Wisdom, or Lady Rhetoric.
During these festivals, the organizations were capable of true subversion of the dominant contemporary values and institutions because the Chambers of Rhetoric’s goals were to make all members literate, encourage creativity, and their plots were often metaphorical discussions on controversial issues of the day, which may have pushed limits. In addition, the Church and the State even funded costumes, permanent buildings, stage machinery, and props for the Chambers. Therefore, the Chambers knew they had to be careful during their performances because they did not want to completely alienate the powerful dominant patrons that helped fund their entertainment.
The Chambers of Rhetoric performance festivals during this period really created this sense of communitas among the patrons and the dominant institutions, where majority looked up to them for their talent and skills. This was a chance for them to watch performances about controversial issues and “theme plays.” The “theme plays” were performances that were categorized and set by the hosting Chamber. For example, “Which people of the world show the most foolishness?” Or, “What was the greatest miracle which God wrought for the saving of mankind?” These “theme plays” were “plays of the mind,” which always had a didactic message for their heart. These plays also approached the audiences either seriously or humorously. I believe this gave the patrons opportunities to watch insightful performances on controversial issues and base their own implications on whether to form their own opinion, agree, or disagree with the content. Further, the creativity of these performances allowed performers to think outside of the box and go against the social norm of this period and successfully deliver a rhetorical message.