Introduction to Rhetorical History and Theory

Catalog description

Common parlance today often regards the word “rhetoric” with suspicion, associating it with language that is constructed to mislead. However, in ancient Greek and Rome, rhetoric was regarded as an integral component of civic life. In this course, we will read foundational texts from the history of rhetoric in order to compare ideas about rhetoric and writing, as they are conceived by rhetors like Plato and Aristotle, to assumptions about rhetoric and writing today. For example, as a class, we will compare historical critiques of the dangers of writing to today’s fears about the destruction of language, especially as a results of using technology and social media.