Aristotle's Three Forms Of Rhetoric Essay

Aristotle’s three types of rhetoric comprise of “the political, forensic, and the ceremonial oratory or display,” (Mueller, 93). Aristotle elaborates on how the three elements of the “speaker, subject and the person being addressed” ultimately “determines the speech’s end and object.” (Mueller, 93). The political form of rhetoric focuses on convincing individuals to act or not to act in a given situation. In this form of rhetoric, the speaker is either convincing the audience on a subject being addressed to do something or not to do something. Aristotle claims that these individuals are designated for “men who address public assemblies” (Mueller, 93). Forensic rhetoric deliberately takes a side on either the defense of the accused or against the accused and disputes that stance in front of a speaker, subject, and a person being addressed.

The ceremonial oratory is a form of language where the speaker either “praises or censures somebody” (Mueller, 93) There are distinct differences overall intentions of these forms of language. The essence of time is very important to different means of the orator as they constantly revolve depending on the circumstance. The political orator focus is on future implications on “things to be done hereafter that he advises, for or against” (Mueller, 93). The ceremonial orator central focus is on interpreting the present day and the current phases existing in that specific moment. In addition, these ceremonial orators occasionally “find it useful…to recall the past and to make guesses at the future.” (Mueller, 93). A good example of all of these rhetorics incorporated under a system is the trial process of the adversary system. It seems that Aristotle’s three types of rhetoric paved the foundation for our court system in the 21st