The History of Rhetoric

ENG4U1

What is Rhetoric?

Rhetoric is the study of the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing

Origin: Greek

Another Definition for Rhetoric…

Rhetoric is persuasive language that is empty or insincere

Are these definitions in opposition?

Rhetoric is an “art”

Involves the use of language to produce a specific and desired impression on the hearer or reader

The object of rhetoric is persuasion, rather than “intellectual approval” or conviction

“Rhetorical” suggests that the content is subservient to the style How vs. What

Rhetoric is “artificial”

Involves the use of language which is showy, elaborate, and/or eloquent , but perhaps empty of clear ideas or sincere emotion

“Rhetoric” suggests negative connotations

The Origins of Rhetoric

Corax of Syracuse in 5th Century B.C.E.:

Corax is believed to have written the first Greek treatise on rhetoric First implemented as an “oral” strategyDesigned as a strategy to help individuals regain confiscated property after warfareEvolved into a formal means with which to discover knowledge and truth

Read “Rhetoric and the story of Corax vs. Tisias”

"KAKOU KORAKOS KAKON WON"

Translation:"From a bad crow, a bad egg."

"When a mischievous bird of prey lays an egg, the egg too is mischievous."

Verdict is a play on words:Corax means "crow"; Tisias means "eggs" 

 The case was, in effect, thrown out of court

Corruption of Rhetoric

A group of Athenian teachers placed emphasis on “win at all costs”, disregarding the values of ethics and truth

Group known as The Sophists

Term “rhetoric” gained negative connotations

Philosophy and Rhetoric

Rhetoric was practiced by the major Greek philosophers, including Plato and SocratesAristotle wrote Rhetoric in 333 B.C.E.

Based on principles of logic and ethics

Rhetoric in the Renaissance

Rhetoric became a model for written discourse in the Renaissance (Erasmus and others)Modern idea of using logic and ethics to persuade an audience to accept a “truth” stems from this

Basic Rhetorical Structure

Select a topic, develop a thesis, choose a persuasive strategy

Appeal to:Logos (reason)

Pathos (emotion)

Ethos (character)

Why Rhetoric Matters

Rhetoric is not just an “ancient Greek thing”

Alive and well in politics and entertainment

Exists in the words we read, write, and hear

Three “canons” of rhetoric:

Discovery of Arguments

Arrangement of Materials

Considerations of Style

Rhetoric and You

Students learn to:See how language is at work orally and in writing

Apply the resources of language in their own writing and speaking

Rhetoric and You

In your writing you will consider elements of style, including sentence structure and variety, diction, coherence, paragraphing, and figures of speech

Figures of speech include such rhetorical techniques as analogy, tropes (simile, metaphor, and personification), irony, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox, and rhetorical questions

Rhetoric and You

Because rhetoric is the art of effective communication, its principles can be applied to many facets of your everyday lifeWe use rhetoric in letter writing and emails, employment interviews, and in conversationTraditional principles of rhetoric can help you present yourself logically and ethically and protect yourself from the illogical and the unethical