Style and Spectator Judgment in Fisher Ames’s Jay Treaty Speech

Abstract

Spectatorship, a key component of political judgment, has received little critical attention. After describing reflective spectator judgment with respect to political judgment and rhetorical theory, I propose a method of stylistic analysis which may help to identify discursive features enabling reflective spectator judgment. These discursive features-described as participatory forms-are illustrated by performing a stylistic analysis of Fisher Ames's Jay Treaty speech. Advantages and limitations of this mode of reflective spectatorship and critical method are considered.