HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF RHETORIC

Dispute on the decline of oratory.

Rhetoric is founded by the
Greeks, who were characterized
by a democratic system in which
ideas were freely expressed.
Plato: Dialectic is the method of
deduction proper to philosophy
and science, rhetoric is a method
of persuasion.
Aristotle: Dialectics is a method
of dispute to reach conclusions,
rhetoric a tool to convince in
these disputes.
The first treatise on rhetoric is
given: rhetoric is divided into 5
parts: inventio, dispositio,
elocutio, memoria and actio.
Diction, thinking, acting and voice
are studied in detail.
Different formal discourse
alternatives are observed
On this plane, Tertullian, in his
 Marcus Fabius
apologetium, offers the most
Quintilianus.
powerful requisition against
Compilation of several ancient
inquisitorial methods.
theories in order to reconcile
points of view.
The communication plan consists
 Cornelius Tacitus: of the transmission of the
writes the dialogue of the orators, Christian message embodied in
the decline of oratory is due to the Holy Scriptures.
the poor quality of the
educational system and the
disappearance of political
freedom.

5th century 2nd century 1st century First

467 B.C. 427 B.C. 90 b.c. Average age Average age 400 A.D.
b.c. b.c. b.c. century A.D.

Protagoras develops the theory
of antithesis, showing that a
single problem has two points of
view.
The first identification of the
formal resources of rhetoric is
given.
Hermagoras' rhetorical system,
which was influenced by the
eclectic school, is considered the
link between Greek and Roman
rhetoric.
Classifies speeches into 2 types:
rational and legal.
Reworking of Greek rhetoric,
orators who published their
speeches with political and moral
words.
Cicero's rhetoric: the speaker
must have culture and
encyclopedic preparation.
First book in Latin of Rhetoric.xº.
Apologetics: defense of the
Christian against the accusations
and misunderstandings of the
pagans.
The sermo humilis, the exaltation
of the humble. The dialectic of
the humble arises from the
essence of revelation: the
incarnation of the divine Word in
the humble man. The naked
Truth of the scriptures versus the
ornamentation in the pagan's
word.
St. Augustine of Hippo: the union
of two traditions: biblical
hermeneutics and pagan
rhetoric.
He proposes three levels of
speeches: humble style, medium
style and elevated style, which
should be used in the same
preaching.
Anicio Manlio Torcuato Severino
Boecio: he translates the
Aristotelian organom, he has a
Ciceronian influence since he
makes some comments on the
fourth book of Cicero where he
states the difference between
Thesis and hypóthesis, the
Thesis proceeds dialectically and
the hypóthesis produces long
and continuous speeches.
5th century 5th century
A.D. A.D.
Marciano Capella: Distinguishes
the introduction of seven liberal
arts: grammar, dialectic, rhetoric,
geometry, arithmetic, astronomy
and music.
Elio Donato, considered the
"gramaticus urbis Romae" stated
that the rules for writing correctly
also include the precepts for
writing ornately.
In these centuries, a specific type
of rhetoric emerged, the
epistolary rhetoric; the opinion or
dictation of a letter, is a kind of
rhetoric that emerged at the end
of the eleventh century in the
monastery of Montecasino
thanks to two works of Alberic
entitled: Flowers of rhetoric,
which dealt with the stylistic
ornamentation of letters and The
breviary, dedicated to epistolary
documents.
11th and
XV, XVI
12th
and XVII
centuries
centuries
A.D.
Rise of rhetoric as a
consequence of the (humanist)
rediscovery of the classics.
Miguel Salinas and Rhetoric in
the Spanish Language (1521)
There was a wide-ranging debate
about the relationship between
rhetoric and dialectic. Some
authors defended the submission
of the latter to the former and
others the independence of both
disciplines.
It begins a certain decadence of
rhetoric, since a sermonic and
dense style arises among all,
with the purpose of astonishing
the public.
Francis Bacon recognizes the
importance of rhetoric in public
life and politics, since it aims at
persuading listeners.
XVII and
XVIII
XVIII
Century
centuries
Descartes' discourse of method
is enshrined between the
separation of scientific discourse
and rhetorical discourse; rhetoric
as a method is progressively
discredited, although it survives
academically in universities.
George Campbell (The
Philosophy of rhetoric) makes a
political rhetoric oriented to the
persecution of the audience by
means of the vivacity of ideas to
maintain interest.
There is a novelty in the
conception and use of rhetoric,
that is, the literaturization of
rhetoric, in this sense, the new
possibilities of printing and
distribution of periodicals, the
written word is more important
than oral expression.
20th
XIX Century
Century
Civilization becomes audiovisual.
In this century, television,
advertising and propaganda play
a leading role, and classical
rhetoric focused on persuading
the audience is reduced.
The 20th century was
characterized by new linguistic
theories such as pragmatics and
trends of thought based on
sciences such as psychology.