Rhetoric in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Aristotle’s Rhetoric What does the term rhetoric mean? –Rhetoric is the art of persuasion; the ability to use language effectively How does this relate to Julius Caesar? –In their speeches in act three, Brutus and Antony use Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion Around 4 B.C.E., Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher, wrote his treatise, called Rhetoric, on the art of persuasion. Because of Rhetoric, Aristotle is credited with developing the basic system of rhetoric that served as the basis for all rhetorical theory from ancient to modern times.

Aristotle’s Rhetoric In Rhetoric, Aristotle writes about the three modes of persuasion –Ethos The appeal of the speaker’s personality or character –Pathos The appeal to the emotion –Logos The appeal to reason or logic

Ethos From the Greek word meaning “the ideals that characterize a community or nation” The appeal of the speaker’s personality or character –Practical skills and wisdom –Virtue, goodness –Goodwill towards the audience Speakers must establish ethos from the start of the speech Can also be what the audience thinks of the speaker before the speech has begun

Pathos From the Greek for “suffering” or “experience” The appeal to the audience’s emotions –Passion in the delivery of the speech –Appeals to audience’s sympathies and imagination –Causes audience to respond emotionally and feel what the speaker/writer feels (empathy)

Logos From the Greek for “reason” The appeal to reason and logic –Relates to the speech itself and its ability to prove something –Data/facts used are hard to manipulate or argue against –Facts/reasons make the speaker look prepared and knowledgeable to the audience