Stylistics and style: a panoramic view of their evolution

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to build a panoramic view of the evolution of Rhetoric and Stylistics. We will start with Aristotle, moving through the changing ideas of the eighteenth century, up to the twentieth century. Next, we will focus on the characteristics that enable the differentiation between Literary and General Stylistics. And, finally, we will show Style and Stylistics in the twentieth century. Through this account we hope to contribute to a better understanding of language from a stylistic perspective.