1. Intro to Rhetorical Criticism
Analyzing Historical Context
& Rhetorical Text

2. Historical Context Who? – Speaker and audience Why? – Purpose
When? – Timing of speech
Where? – Placement of speech
How? – Production and deliver of speech; who wrote it? How was it delivered? How might the medium have shaped the creation and delivery of the text?

3. Analysis of the Rhetorical Text
Characters
Place
Time
Argumentation
Structure
Style
Delivery

4. Evaluation of the Rhetorical Text
Effect – How successful was the speech at securing its goals?
Artistry – Evaluating the quality of the strategies used
Ethics – What are the long-term implications for the social welfare of society?

5. Characters
Roles or personas used in the speech; may include the speaker or the audience

6. In what places are the characters situated in the speech?

7. How is time used to communicate the message?
Past, present and future references

8. A claim backed by one or more justifications
Argumentation
A claim backed by one or more justifications
Variety of supports, critical
Clear sense of logic

9. How does the text unfold?
Structure
How does the text unfold?
Historical, chronological?
Topical?
Logical/Pragmatic?

10. Historical, Chronological
The topic is best understood in terms of how it unfolds in time. Sequence is important.

11. Topical
Claims that certain elements are critical to understanding the issue

12. Logical/Pragmatic Problem/Solution, Cause/Effect
Ideas or situations stand in necessary relation to one another

13. Style
What is distinctive about the language of this rhetorical text?
Grammar, sentence length, syntax, figures of speech, etc.

14. The “voice” of the style/language
Delivery
The “voice” of the style/language