El error retórico de la alcahueta. Performatividad y nueva retórica en la Celestina

Abstract

This article examines Celestina's rhetorical arts in two episodes of the work: the persuasion of Pármeno —in María Rosa Lida’s words, the touchstone of celestinesque persuasive arts—, and the moments prior to her death —namely, the time when her skills in dominating others' wills fail. From a rhetorical stand-point that stems from Classical models, but readapts them to explain argumentative maneuvers not codified in ancient treatises (thus, in light of Chaim Perelman’s treatise on argumentation), several stratagems of the old bawd are underscored, and also the main rhetorical mistake that leads to her death.