Rhetoric has had an effect on the ways in which people have thought and acted in societies throughout the ages. Rhetoric is responsible for shaping education, governments, private life, and the practices of the Church. The influence of rhetoric becomes especially prevalent when examining the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Rhetoric took on a new role in medieval society, as the original thoughts and ideas that were appreciated during these ancient periods of both Rome and Greece, were no longer welcome in the hegemonic Christian society that developed during this time. As a result of this, in the medieval period Greco-Roman rhetoric was modified to fit the social needs that arose due to Christian domination in Europe. The societal needs that required addressing during this period were namely, preaching, letter writing, and poetry. In "The History and Theory of Rhetoric, Herrick states that "between 1100 to 1300, the high-water mark for medieval European rhetoric came to be codified in manuals on preaching, letter writing, and poetry" (Herrick 131). These three rhetorical areas of focus played a major role in the interactions between people in medieval society.
The art of preaching was an invaluable tool to the Church's hierarchy. The preachers during this period were very aware of recognizing the distinctions between their audiences" capabilities. "In its crudest form it divided humanity into the learned and the unlearned, with a special homiletic method for each" (2Murphy 279). Audience adaptation played a key role in determining the subjects that would be discussed in the sermons. Essentially, the preachers knew if their audiences were educated or not, and geared their speeches towards the specific needs of their audiences. This style of preaching was referred to as being "thematic," as Herrick explains. Thematic preaching principally called for the use of easily accessible books, as the Church wanted their message to be available to a broad audience.
