Rhetoric (The Short Version)

English 112

In Julius Caesar…

• Mark Anthony is a master of manipulating the crowd with his words—he knows just what to say to get people riled up

• In other words, he is a master of rhetoric

Rhetoric

• The art of oratory, especially the persuasive use of language to influence the thoughts and actions of listeners

• From Middle English rethorik / Old French rethorique / Latin rhetorica / Greek rhetorike / Greek rhetorikos / Greek rhetor

Three Basic Appeals

• According to Aristotle, there are three basic modes of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos

• Ethos = morality– “Do the right thing”

• Pathos = emotions– “Do what feels right”

• Logos = logic/reason– “Do what makes sense”

Other Techniques In JC

• Irony: when you expect one thing and get another—or, in this case, when you say one thing and mean another

• This is used brilliantly in Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

Modern Rhetorician

Group Work

• In groups, go through Antony’s speeches in Act III, scene II, and look for ethos, pathos, and logos, as well as irony

• After some time we’ll discuss as a class