Poisoned Words: Slander and Satire in Early Modern France

Emily Butterworth's thoughtful and elegantly argued study... makes an important contribution to that burgeoning area of critical study where literature can never be conceived outside the notion of law, and in this case, the law itself. -- Modern Language Review Modern Language Review Her excellent book will be of interest to anybody concerned with rhetoric, polemic and the fashioning (and unfashioning) of early modern reputations. -- French Studies French Studies Butterworth's valuable work clearly shows that slander and satire are linked to other important preoccupations of the time (such as the use of rhetoric and the formation of identity) and brings a welcome focus on three writers, each of whom addresses one of Lucian's positions: slanderer, audience and victim. -- Forum for Modern Language Studies Forum for Modern Language Studies