A Rhetorical Genre Study of Pro-wrestling: the Heroes and Villains in Pro-wresting and How They Have Been Shaped by Audiences

Professional wrestling is a spectacular genre that has gone through many subtle and not so subtle changes in its history. Focusing not only on the ancient origins of pro-wrestling but also its main periods of popularity in the modern era, this book explains how audiences help to create the main heroes and villains seen in this intriguing mixture of athleticism and acting. Pro-wrestling is a genre that is manipulated not only by promoters but also by the fans. Audiences have helped to shape the pro-wrestling genre and make it into a popular culture phenomenon at various periods in history. This book will show through rhetorical genre analysis how audiences have helped to create the dynamic characters seen in pro-wrestling.