rhetoricians had classified oratory into three types: the epideictic, forensic or judicial and the deliberative. These can be distinguished according to the context of delivery. The epideictic rhetoric is delivered in ceremonial occasions; the ideal context of forensic oratory is in the court of law, the deliberative type is practised in electoral rallies or parliamentary meetings. Schiappa and Timmerman (1996:50) explained that prior to Aristotle, the word epideixis was intended to refer to a quality of discourse rather than a genre of discourse. However, Aristotle aspired to bring together three distinct types of oratory into one larger generic category: the encomium that is speeches of praise or blame, the panegyric that is the festival
oration, and the epitaphios logos that is the eulogy or funeral oration. From Aristotle’s point of view, these can be gathered under one broad generic title because they were related to ceremonial contexts (festival, wedding, funeral), present the presenter’s skills of eloquence, and they focused on the topics of praise and /or blame. Charteris-Black (2014:6-7) explains that the term ‘epideictic’ has originated from the Greek word for ‘show’ or ‘display’. Epideictic speeches are formed up to fit ceremonial events such as public commemorations, of funerals, where audience is not entitled to take certain stance or position. In such social contexts, the addresser is keen to show his eloquence in evaluating someone else’s deeds positively or negatively. The speaker usually tries to appeal to the public emotions that are appropriate to the ceremonial occasion.
Edward O. Wilson, the writer of this satire, writes about the opinions of two disagreeing sides to demonstrate the unproductive nature of these litigations. To do this, the author writes in a horatian manner and uses instances of exaggeration, parody, incongruity, and irony to help him convey his message that these arguments are pointless. The well distributed use of these strategies allows the writer to efficiently illustrate and mock the unproductive disagreement of these two groups of people.
In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, he utilizes various literary devices to emphasize his many thematic topics. He demonstrates sin through the unholy nature of Abigail’s history with John Proctor with Abigail’s words, "I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I came near!" (Miller 21). He reveals the wrongness of the situation, and shows the desperation Abigail has for John to return her feelings. due to his marital status and her age through his simile describing John’s actions and reactions near Abigail as animalistic and dirty. Miller’s similes also demonstrates the idea of good vs. evil through his description of the Devil’s effect on several girls. “...
Guns do belong in schools and prospective parents should be required to obtain a license before having kids. These are the dominant themes present in Jamie O'Meara's "Gun, Sex, and Education" and Janice Turner's "Should We Need a License to Be a Parent?" respectively. O'Meara argues that just like sex education arms the youth with knowledge, protecting them from irresponsible promiscuous behavior, gun education would serve the same purpose with respect to violence and guns. Similarly, Turner calls for new legislation but in an entirely different arena. She believes that in order to become parents, adults or non-adults for that matter, should meet a certain required standard and obtain a license in order to enter the most important profession of all: parenting. In order to develop these arguments, both writers utilize the general rhetorical strategies of comparison and argument. However, there is one key difference between the approaches taken to the development of the arguments. O'Meara's article has successfully employs ethical (ethos), emotional (pathos) and logical (logos) appeal whereas Turner's article takes a predominantly rational appeal (logos). Though both articles do an excellent job of conveying their points, all things considered, O'Meara's attempt at presenting a well balanced approach appealing to logic, emotion and ethics is more successful than Turner's attempt at presenting a solely logical argument.
Rhetoric in the article by William Covino and David Jolliffe is explained as an art of persuasion that uses communication with a purpose or goal. To add, it is an ongoing conversation between the rhetor and the auditors. In addition to using persuasion, the observance of the audience is used as well. In the article by William Covino and David Jolliffe they talk about the four major elements of rhetoric: the rhetorical situation, the audience, the methods of persuasion, and the 5 canons. As explained in the reading the purpose of rhetorical communication is to teach, to please, and to move.
Cicero believed that a good orator must do three things in his speech: earn the favor of the audience, provide persuasive arguments, and move the audience with emotional appeals. In his defense of Marcus Caelius Rufus one finds an excellent example of Cicero’s work and through close examination can glean some additional information about what Cicero felt was needed in a good speech. With such scrutiny it becomes readily apparent that each of the three objectives need not be attained equally. Because while Cicero does attempt to gain the favor of his audience, provide persuasive arguments, and presents the audience with powerful emotional appeals, he spends a vast amount of time providing the jury with “proofs” (persuasive arguments), a fair amount of time earning the good will of the audience, and only briefly extends emotional appeals towards the close of his speech. Cicero did this for a reason; he did this because it best fit the case being made against his client, the circumstances of the trial and seemed most likely to get him the acquittal he desired. If one peruses Cicero’s monologue, they can figure out why.
George Washington wrote a message to the American people and he named the document, Washington’s Farwell Address. George Washington started off his farewell by telling the people that the time has come to designate someone as president but that he would not be running for a third term. He goes on to explain in great detail why he would not be running for a third term as well as addressing what he believed the nation should follow. George Washington gave the people advice on how we could be a great nation but he also warned us about situations that would be the downfall of our great nation, but did we the people follow the advice he gave us in 1796.
“Intellectuals and Democracy” by Mark Kingwell (2012) captures the essence of the commonality between higher education and philosophy and democracy. The author, who is a philosopher expresses his notion of the connection between the democratic system and that of the education system. Often, as the article expresses there is a preconception regarding the validation of careers promised with certain university degrees where other programs result in uncertainty or questioning from others. The use of rhetorical appeals used by the author throughout the article works towards building his article. I argue that through rhetorical appeals the author works his audience to grasp his personal stance of the education system as he attempts to persuade
The primary function of rhetoric is to find the best means available for persuasion and as a result, they have been divided into three types. Epideictic rhetoric, deliberative rhetoric, and forensic rhetoric epideictic rhetoric are sometimes referred to as ceremonial oratory, and this is considered as a rhetoric that is used to blame or praise during ceremonies (Sheard, 1996). The rhetoric of ceremony, declamation, commemoration, play, entertainment and self-display is mostly utilized in festivals and formal events for instance anniversaries such as births, marriages or death.
When thinking of famous oration, one speech in literature is a classic example that contains persuasive techniques. The speech given by Marc Antony to mourn Caesar in Shakespeare’s work Julius Caesar has been referenced for ages as an example of a convincing argument. Everyone recalls the opening line, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears,” and all know what follows the speech – war leading to the establishment of the final triumvirate (Shakespeare 3.2.82). However, in praising Antony’s words, audiences tend to forget the other convincing orations that make appearances in Julius Caesar. Aristotle first described these in his discourse on types of rhetoric in Ancient Greece. They are pathos, logos, and ethos and all are found in the
The American renown orator, Patrick Henry, uses emotions to evoke hope and strength into the helpless colonists. Henry makes the colonists think of why should they not be independent. Why should people kneel and hope to have freedom instead of going and taking it. To be able to inspire the American colonies to unite and fight for their freedom takes question leading questions and the audacity to stir the pot just enough to play on how the colonists acting cowardly can result in them not having the God given right to liberty.
In Plato’s Gorgias, Socrates discusses the nature and uses of rhetoric with Gorgias, while raising moral and philosophical perspective of rhetoric. Socrates believes that rhetoric is a kind of false knowledge whose purpose is to produce conviction, and not to educate people about the true extent of knowledge (Plato 15). On the other hand, Gorgias argues that the study of rhetoric is essential in any other professional fields, in order to provide an effective communication (Plato 19). After their discussion of rhetoric, Socrates seems to understand the true extent of rhetoric better as compared to Gorgias, as he is able to use rhetoric appeals as a device to dominate the conversation. During their discussion, Socrates seems to have use rhetorical appeals, such as ethos appeal and pathos appeal to connect and convince the crowd of audiences, and logos appeal to support his claims. His speeches seems to have shown sarcastic aspects and constantly asking questions in order to keep Gorgias busy, at the same time preparing an ambush. Since rhetoric is the art of effective communication through the form of speaking and writing, with the appropriate knowledge and virtue, it can be used for good purposes. On the other hand, rhetoric also can be used as an act of conviction because rhetorical appeals can be defined as an act of persuasion as well. Learning the true extent of rhetoric can help an individual strengthen their verbal communication skills. Socrates uses rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos and logos appeal to win his argument against Gorgias, as he is able to get the audiences’ attention through rhetoric and cornered Gorgias into revealing the true extent of rhetoric.
The Shakespearean play Julius Caesar, tells the behind the scenes story of the conspirators plan to kill the influential ruler, Caesar. In the play Caesar makes a speech referring to himself and describes his method of ruling Rome while comparing himself to the North Star. Prior to the speech the conspirators have come to the Senate to convince Caesar to forgive and restore Cimber after his banishment. But Caesar responds with this speech about him being persistent about his decisions. The speech that Caesar makes about himself can be considered an Epideictic or a Forensic speech, for the reason that he commends himself while creating an opinion of his past actions. This excerpt from the play leads up to the devious conspirators plan unfolding and the upsetting death of Caesar. Rhetoric is used throughout the speech in order to manipulate and convey how invincible Caesar is as well as express the overall theme of the play, be means of delivery, disposition, and style.
De Oratore is text written in 55 BCE by Marcus Tullius Cicero. Using a key dialogue, Cicero is able to explain the role of an orator, as well as describe the ideal candidate for the role. De Oratore uses its text to claim that a speaker must be knowledgeable as well as virtuous in order to be a true orator, and gives further guidelines to being a good rhetorician. Cicero uses a dialogue between men he had known in his youth to make claims and expand upon the topic of orators. The text describes an argument over the ideal rhetor as well as the parallels between philosophy and rhetoric. The subjects of the dialogue make frequent references to past philosophers throughout their debate on the eloquence of speakers. De Oratore is a powerful text that ponders the role of rhetoric in the state in a complete manner through its dialectic presentation.
Aristotle. On Rhetoric. The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to the Present. 2nd ed. Ed. Trans. Patricia Bizzell & Bruce Herzberg. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2001. Book I, Chapter V. Print.
The speech made by Marcus Antonius, called Antony, in Act Three, Scene Two of Julius Caesar shows that despite being considered a sportsman above all else, he is highly skilled with the art of oratory as well. In the play by William Shakespeare, this speech is made at the funeral of Caesar after he is killed by Brutus and the other conspirators. Brutus claimed earlier, in his own funeral speech, that the killing of Caesar was justified. He felt that Caesar was a threat, and too ambitious to be allowed as ruler. Much of this sentiment, however, was developed by the treacherous Cassius. Antony, on the other hand, felt that the conspirators were traitors to Rome and should be dealt with. This speech used a variety of methods to gradually bring the crowd to his side, yet maintain his side of the deal with Brutus. This deal was that he, “shall not in your funeral speech blame us...” (3.1.245) for the death of Caesar. Antony holds his end of the deal for the majority of the speech, yet by doing so convinces the crowd of Brutus' and the others' disloyalty. In many ways, this speech can be seen as the ultimate rhetoric, and it includes all three of Aristotle's methods of persuasion. This are the appeal to credibility, called ethos, the appeal to emotions, called pathos, and the appeal to logic, called logos. All three of these devices are used to great effect during the speech of Marcus Antonius.