Abstract:
To study the style and literary values of King Mongkut's letters. The study reveals that the style of King Mongkut's letters consists of vivid language use for an efficient communication reflecting his attitude and feeling. The vividness of the message in the texts is achieved through the precise and careful choice of words expressing opinion, feeling and purpose. The use of repetition and compounded words, as well as the use of idioms and imagery, enhance the eloquence of style. The use of literary techniques such as phrase repetition and pararellism helps to convey his ideas with clearity and charm. Moreover, the unity and harmony between the ideas and the language use establish a literary beauty of these royal letters. Apart the style, the content of these royal letters is a great source of knowledge in numerous fields-history, social history, culture and language use in the early Rattanakosin period. Thus King Mongkut's letters can be considered an important piece of literary work of both pleasure and profit for the readers.