I would like to thank my committee chair Jean Goodwin for always pushing me to succeed at levels beyond which I originally thought possible. Her honest, constructive, and thorough feedback at all stages of this project was integral in molding it into what it has become. I also have great appreciation for my committee members, David Hollander and Richard Benjamin Crosby. David gave me a much needed crash course in ancient history, a subject to which I had little exposure until recently, and consistently pointed me in the direction of other helpful resources. Ben introduced me to the art of rhetorical criticism when I was an undergraduate in 2010, and since that time has always proved himself a helpful mentor, both with regard to this project and beyond. Many others helped me along the way as well. I'm grateful to Allison Watson and Samantha Dunn for providing feedback on early drafts and to Rachel Alsup for agreeing to edit the final copy. Needless to say, any errors or omissions reside with me and not them. In addition, I would also like to thank my friends, colleagues, and the English department faculty and staff for making my time at Iowa State University a worthwhile learning experience. I want to send a special thanks to all the individuals of the 3rd floor of Carver Hall-members of both the English and Math departments. Your friendly greetings in the hallway and off-the-cuff conversations waiting for the copy machine always made me feel at home and reminded me, at times necessarily, that life existed beyond the university.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract