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designing and delivering a speech
Ok, ok. I know what you're thinking...
Rhetoric is basically required in many jobs like:
"Magistra,
I'm not planning on
doing any of that!"
Many of the concepts developed by the ancients and practiced for over 2000 years continue to have resonance today.
So I made a special list just for you!
You also need rhetoric to:
Roman philosopher, politician, lawyer,
orator, political theorist, and consul.
How did the speeches of these men influence the course of history?
Chief among Roman rhetoricians and the best known ancient orator.
Lawyer, orator, writer.
Inspired the Founding Fathers of the United States
and the revolutionaries of the French Revolution.
Famous works: De Inventione, De Oratore
Discussed (at length) the training of the "perfect" orator from birth to old age and reviewed the doctrines and opinions of many influential rhetoricians who preceded him.
Famous work: Institutio Oratoria (one of the most influential works on rhetoric during the Renaissance)
The orator's delivery of his speech included:
These were meant to capture the attention of the audience and play on the listener's emotions.
The orator QUINTILLIAN documented the numerous and minute details of how to hold the head and fingers.
"Grasp the tip [of the index finger] lightly on both sides and gently curve the remaining two fingers--the little finger less so [than the ring finger]. This gesture is appropriate for argument. If you wish to seem to argue more keenly, grasp instead the middle joint of the index and have the last two fingers contracted more tightly to correspond with the tighter position [of the thumb and middle finger]."12
Rhetoric, otherwise known as oratory, is the art of public speaking.
It aims to allow
writers and speakers to
INFORM
PERSUADE
or MOTIVATE
particular audiences in particular situations
The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that rhetoric is:
"The faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion."
Contained necessary preliminary remarks and the approach to the subject.
Designed to win the favorable attention of the audience.
A summary of the facts upon which the argument is founded.
An outline of the proposed treatment of the theme or the point to be proved.
An affirmative argument setting forth the points on the speakers side of the case.
A rebuttal refusing the arguments of the opposing side
The conclusion bringing the address to an impressive close, sometimes divided into three parts.
Designed to summarize the arguments and appeal to the jurors' emotions.
The study of rhetoric included:
In democratic Greece, rhetoric was a tool to influence politics and civil life.
understanding, discovering, and developing arguments for particular situations
use of reasoning
types of persuasive appeals
It was a medium through which political
and judicial decisions were made.
But, it was also used to develop and disseminate philosophical ideas.
use of emotional appeal
appeal based on the character of the
speaker
process of developing arguments
organizing arguments for extreme effect
determining how to present arguments
process of learning and memorizing the speech
gestures, pronunciation, tone, and pace used when delivering speech
"The true Attic orator...is characterized by restraint and simplicity, uses ordinary language, avoids rhythmical cadences and hiatus, excludes obvious figures of speech, speaks pure Latin, chooses pleasing words and phrases. Metaphors are used in the plain style to make the meaning clear, not for entertainment. He will avoid elaborate, contrived symmetry and repetition as well as the more powerful figures of speech. Moderate vocal variety and slight gesticulation are typical of an orator speaking in the plain style. He will use humor and wit to charm and ridicule his opponents."
Among others, especially the Asiatics, one would, being entirely a slave to rhythm, find whatever words can be stuffed into the empty parts of the sentence as if to fill up the meter…
Brutus' speech in Shakespeare= Attic
Antony's speech in Shakespeare= Asiatic
"If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar
was no less than his. If then that friend demand
why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:—
Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
Rome more."
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
"As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his
fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his
ambition."
Even at the base of Pompey's statua,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Public prosecutions and private cases prompted by political motives were really common.
An eloquent orator could make himself known and secure large bodies of supporters.
concerned the political
(i.e. making laws)
In the large and often turbulent body of the Senate, to sway a large assembly by force of oratory was a highly prized skill.
A single individual could stop or alter government processes!
concerned the judicial (i.e. courtroom cases)
Roman orators directly addressed large crowds of assembled people from the rostra. Successful speakers can garner the support of the people over any opposition from the Senate!
ceremonial oratory of display
(i.e. praise/blame, values, right/wrong)
In Rome, oratory was an important part of public life and a powerful political tool.
to facilitate political debates, trials, and informing the people of important topics
to achieve personal political success
obviously public speaking must have been both a necessary and effective political instrument!
obviously, to achieve success, every ambitious Roman had to become a skilled orator!
studying rhetoric signaled refinement, wisdom, and accomplishment
Just like
Latin!