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” strategy
Designed as a strategy to help
individuals regain confiscated property
after warfare
Evolved 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
Socrates
Aristotle 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 life
We use rhetoric in letter writing and emails,
employment interviews, and in
conversation
Traditional principles of rhetoric can help
you present yourself logically and ethically
and protect yourself from the illogical and
the unethical