Introduction to Rhetoric

Notes from Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student

by Edward Corbett and Robert Connors

What is Rhetoric?
Flowery style?
Mere rhetoric?

Rhetoric Defined
Rhetoric: Persuasive discourse

Brief History
All humans have used rhetoric
Men of Athens first wrote about it in plays and books
Aristotle
Cicero
Medieval Trivium: grammar, logic, rhetoric
Printing press: less focus on spoken rhetoric

(memorization and delivery)

Industrial revolution: could make fortunes through
hard work; less focus on rhetoric
Still vital for advertising and persuading people on
important issues

Five Canons of Rhetoric

Discovery of arguments (inventio / heuresis)
Arrangement (dispositio / taxis)
Style (elocutio / lexis, hermneia, phrasis)
Memorization (memoria / mnm)
Delivery (pronuntiatio / hypokrisis)

Discovery of Arguments /
Invention
Non-artistic
Laws
Witnesses
Contracts
Oaths

Artistic
Rational appeal (logos)
Emotional appeal (pathos)
Ethical appeal (ethos)

Topics: Methods of Finding

Arguments
Topics from Greek topos, or place
Finding possible ways to argue a subject
A topic: a line of argument
Common Topics (koinoi topoi)
More or less (degree)
Possible and impossible
Past fact and future fact
Greatness and smallness (size)

Special Topics (idioi topoi)

Ones unique to forensic, deliberative, and

ceremonial speeches

Arrangement (dispositio)
Classic Arrangement from Ad Herennium

1. Introduction (exordium)
2. Statement of the case or issue (narratio)
3. Outline of parts of argument (divisio)
4. Proof of the case (confirmatio)
5. Refutation of opposing arguments
(confutatio)
6. Conclusion (peroratio)
Items may be rearranged or removed as
needed

Style (elocutio)
Quintilians three styles
Plain style for instructing
Middle style for moving
High style for charming

Key Concerns:
Choice of words
Correctness, purity (not foreign), simplicity,
clearness, appropriateness, ornateness
Composition or arrangement of words
Syntax, conjunctions, sound of sentences, patterns

of ideas
Tropes or figures of speech

Memorizing (memoria)
Important in prior eras
Memorize with practice
Use mnemonic devices
Focus declined with advent of print-intensive

communication

Delivery (pronuntiatio)
Control
Voice
Pitch
Volume
Emphasis
Pausing
Phrasing

Body Language
Gestures
Stance
Posture
Eyes
Face

Acting: Great orators must be great actors

Kinds of Orations
Deliberative
Questions of policy
Future: What should we do?
Topics: Expedient and inexpedient
Means: Exhortation and dehoratation

Forensic
Courtrooms
Past: What happened?
Topics: Justice and injustice
Means: Accusation and defense

Ceremonial (epideictic)
Special occasions
Present
Topics: Honor and dishonor
Means: Praise and blame

Review
Rhetoric defined: persuasive discourse
Five canons of rhetoric
Invention
Non-artistic
Artistic
Logic, emotion, ethics

Topics
General, special

Arrangement
Introduction, background, outline, confirmation, refutation, conclusion

Style
Memorization
Delivery

Three kinds of orations

Deliberative, forensic, ceremonial

Citation
Corbett, Edward P. J., and Robert J. Connors.
Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student. 4th
ed. New York: Oxford U P, 1999.