1. THE RHETORICAL TRIANGLE: An Approach to Argument

3.  The writer/speaker is ethos  The audience/reader is pathos  The subject/topic is logos WRITE THE WORDS “ETHOS”, “PATHOS”, “LOGOS” WHERE THEY BELONG ON YOUR COPY OF THE RHETORICAL TRIANGLE

4.  The circle surrounding the 3 points of the triangle represents the context for which the writing or speech was composed.  The context reflects the time, place, people, events, and motivating forces that influenced the writing or speech.  The context is the background or situation in which the argument is addressed.

5.  Inside the rhetorical triangle is another element – the intention or purpose  The writer/speaker needs to decide what he wants to happen as a result of his text, and what he wants the audience to believe  Brutus and Antony each had to think about the goal of his speech, what he hoped to achieve by the end of the speech

6.  Writers must decide what type of writing they are going to use to obtain their goal – poetry? a letter? a speech? editorial? newspaper article?  The crowd outside the Senate needed to know what happened to Caesar and why. Speeches were the best genre given the context of the situation

7.  How do Brutus and Antony make themselves seem trustworthy?  Are these men speaking as experts? As concerned citizens? As a friend? As part of the political scene?  Do Brutus and Antony seem knowledgeable and reasonable? How?  How do Brutus and Antony establish their authority?

8.  Why do Brutus and Antony address the crowd?  What does Brutus claim about the murder of Caesar? What does Antony claim about the murder?  How is Brutus’ speech organized? What is the purpose of his brevity?  How is Antony’s speech organized? Think about his remarks about Brutus and his references to Caesar’s will.  How do these speakers support their ideas?

9.  Who is the audience? What do they know about the subject? What is the crowd’s attitude toward the subject?  How do Brutus and Antony appeal to the crowd’s or reader’s emotions?  What emotional feelings do they evoke in their speeches? Sadness? Pride? Fear? Anger? Patriotism? Love? Justice? Explain.  How do Brutus and Antony try to establish a relationship with the crowd or reader?

10.  Why are the speeches by Brutus and Antony necessary? In other words, what is the situation?  What is the time period of these speeches?  What is the place?  Who are the people involved in the situation? What are their places in this situation?  What are the events that are important to this situation?  What are the motivating forces for these speeches?

11.  What does Brutus hope to achieve in his speech?  What does Antony hope to achieve in his speech?  What does Brutus want the crowd/reader to believe?  What does Antony want the crowd/reader to believe?

12.  Why were speeches the best genre for Brutus and Antony?

13. Rhetoric may be defined as “the art that humans use to process all the messages we send and receive.” Everyday Use: Rhetoric at Work in Reading and Writing by Hephzibas Roskelly and David A. Jolliffe, AP Edition, 2009. Pg. 2.  Think of the elements of the rhetorical triangle – why does the quote above use the word “art” when referring to rhetoric?