Dr. Catherine Collins Office Hours: MWF 8:30-9, F
11:30-12:00; Smullin 204, ext. 6281 TH 1:30-2:30; or by
appointment.
CLASSICAL
RHETORICAL 231, SPRING 1999
CLASSICAL
RHETORICAL 231, SPRING 1999Texts
- Kitto: The Greeks. This text gives us an introduction to the ancient Greek world, its history,geography, people, and cultural assumptions.
- Connor: Greek Orations 4th Century B.C. This collection includes ancient Greek speeches by Lysias, Isocrates, Demosthenes, Aeschines, Hyperides, and the Letter of Philip II of Macedon.
- Plato: Gorgias. This is Plato's attack on the way rhetoric was practiced in his day. One of the characters in the dialogue is Gorgias, a famous teacher of the art of rhetoric.
- Plato: Phaedrus. The counterpart to the Gorgias, this dialogue offers Plato's conception of a noble rhetoric. We will read this along with Weaver's assessment of the dialogue and its relation to rhetoric.
- Aristotle: On Rhetoric. This is George Kennedy's translation of Aristotle's work. As a text, On Rhetoric sets the standard for classical assumptions about rhetoric.
- Cicero: Murder Trials. As the major Roman rhetorical theorist, most of Cicero's theory is a reworking and extension of Aristotle; we'll talk about these works. Unlike Aristotle, however, Cicero was a master orator who was especially keen at defense pleadings. Michael Grant has translated several of Cicero's forensic speeches.
- Quintilian: On the Teaching of Speaking and Writing. This is a translation by James J. Murphy of Books I, II, and X of Institutio Oratoria, Quintilian's major treatise on rhetorical education.
- On Reserve in the library: Matsen, Rollinson, Sousa: Readings from Classical Rhetoric. This contains the readings for the progymnasmata (3), one reading from the ad Herennium, and several short selections from Cicero. Bizzell & Herzberg: The Rhetorical Tradition. This contains readings for Isocrates--Against the Sophists, Antidosis--and the primary material in the ad Herennium.
Course
Description and Requirements
In studying rhetorical theory from classical times, we are looking at the history of this and related disciplines. We will be asking about the meaning of the term rhetoric, the way scholars and practitioners throughout the ages have viewed rhetoric as a way of knowing and as a way of being. We focus on classical rhetoric as the foundation of the theories that saw major modification in the 18th century and again during contemporary times. Our focus is on the ancient Greek and Roman discussions of the art of rhetoric. If you have taken a public speaking class, you have been exposed to Aristotle's On Rhetoric. Most public speaking texts are merely modernized versions of the classical theories of argument, organization, style and delivery--rhetoric--which Aristotle cataloged in his famous book. You probably learned about the three kinds of proof or what constitutes lively and appropriate style. These are principles of rhetoric whose foundations, in the Western world, are in ancient Greek and Roman writings and practices.
It is important to have these basic ideas firmly in our minds because so much of how we now explore issues of rhetoric and communication is a result of past theories. In some ways, this class, to our discipline, is like a beginning language class. Before you can speak Chinese or French, you must learn the structure of the language and begin to build basic vocabulary. You'll never speak a foreign language if you only have a vague sense of the terms; saying a word that kind of sounds like the one you want will not work. Similarly, having a vague sense of how Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, or Quintilian define the essence of persuasion will not work. This is about the only class in the department where I think flash cards might be useful. We memorize, not for the exercise, but because we need to get beyond a general understanding to appreciate and critique our contemporary response to rhetorical/communication issues. There is no escaping the need to know the details; just as any third year language student should get 100% on a first year vocabulary test, you need to have the classical theories down cold before we turn to modifications of these classical works in our courses in the department.
Our texts, with the exception of Kitto's book, are primary works. Sometimes the language/style of another time makes reading more difficult. You will need to adjust to a different sentence structure. It may help to read a passage aloud. Work at your reading; do not give up. All of you are capable of reading, with understanding, all of these works. This is not, however, the kind of material which can be read once only, amidst distractions, or quickly. Do not postpone. If a reading is assigned for Monday it needs to be read for Monday. You need to come to class ready to explain what you read, not waiting for someone else to lead you through the material. If you fall behind it will be difficult to catch up. The load gets lighter only once you break through initial resistance to this kind of dense writing. Theory is enjoyable once you master it. There is no piece in the text whose style is as convoluted as some contemporary theorists (Heidegger, for example).
The class will be structured in such a way that careful preparation on your part is necessary. We will have pop quizzes (yes, they'll count), memory bees, etc. Previous classes have told me that more quizzes were needed; I shall keep that in mind. I'll give you the cultural context and historical perspective for the theories. I'll answer questions and draw connections between theorists, but you must teach yourself through reading and questioning. It will be a challenging semester. You'll have "fun" only if you work at it and work with me.
The texts for the course have limited background information. We will have discussion leaders and reading guides for the theorists we will be studying this semester. For the theory for which you will be the expert you will be expected to prepare a reading guide for the class, initiate the class discussion, prepare several discussion questions or construct exercises that help us go through the material, and make sure we "learn" the important concepts. The assignment will be graded. Both sections of the course have the same assignments and basic schedule. You may find it helpful to form study groups which include students from both classes who are working on a particular reading.
The library has a good collection of books on rhetorical theory in general and on the particular theorists we will be working with this semester. Some books will deal with the author of a particular reading, some will be critiques of that person's theory, yet others will place the times in context. Probably the best information will come from articles in our disciplinary periodicals. You should acquaint yourself with Philosophy and Rhetoric, Quarterly Journal of Speech, and the regional journals, esp., Southern Journal of Speech Communication, Western Journal of Speech Communication, and Communication Studies which was formerly Central States Speech Journal. You will find it helpful to read this material as we go along, even if the period is not one where you are the expert, because it will help you understand the meaning of the term rhetoric. Ask yourself what epistemological and ontological questions were addressed as you complete your reading of each theorist.
Forty percent of your grade comes from unit exams; 30% from take-home assignments, your expert report and reading guide, trials or other class exercises, and surprises; and 30% from your final exam. Because you will be doing synthetic work in your papers, many of the exams will be objective--lists, fill in the blanks, T-F, multiple choice, etc. You might even get a rhetorical jigsaw puzzle. You can see why flash cards might prove helpful! I am not a date person (what year was Aristotle born?), but you do need a sense of chronology and how time periods seem to have produced rhetorical scholarship different from other eras. Does it make a difference whether it's Plato or Aristotle's definition of rhetoric? Yep. Knowing it was "one of those old Greeks" isn't enough.
Approximate
Schedule
We'll try to stick to this schedule for expert reports. If you have questions as we go along about whether we have changed the schedule, please ask! Everyone must come to class prepared for discussion every day, even when you are not the expert: read the material and make a list of questions for our experts. You are to have completed the readings for each theorist on the first day we discuss that person. (Will there be a quiz that day? Quite likely!)
1/20 Introduction; Library exercise
1/22 Defining the discipline and theory; Library exercise due
1/25 Kitto pp 1-108
1/27 Pericles Funeral Oration; Expert Report
1/29 Kitto pp. 109-253
2/1 Gorgias/The Sophists; Encomium on Helen: Aristotle pp. 283-288; Expert Report
2/3 Isocrates: Against the Sophists; Antidosis; Expert Report; Progymnsmata; Expert Report
2/5 Isocrates: Panygricus in Connor pp. 27-39; (Expert Report)
2/8 Introduction to Plato
2/10 Gorgias (full text); Expert Report
2/12 Phaedrus (through Socrates first speech); Expert Report
2/15 Phaedrus (complete); Weaver Reading
2/17 Summary of Plato; Intro to Aristotle pp. Prooemion, 13-22, 299-312
2/19 Exam 1
2/22 Aristotle pp. 23-51; 78-87; Introduction & Types of speeches; Epideictic ; Expert Report
2/24 Epideictic speeches; Lysias (Connor 9-26); Expert Report; Hyperides (Connor 210 219;
Expert Report
2/26 Aristotle pp. 87-118; Judicial Speeches; Antiphon: On the Murder of Herodes; Expert
Report
3/1 Aeschines: Against Ctesiphon (Connor 120-150); Expert Report
3/3 Demosthenes: On the Crown (Connor 151-209); Expert Report
3/5 Aristotle pp. 51-78; Deliberative Speeches; Demosthenes First Philippic (Connor 40 55);
(Expert Report) 3/9 Demosthenes: Second Olynthiac (Connor 56-66); (Expert Report)
3/10 Aristotle pp. 119-172; Book II Character and Emotions; Expert Report
3/12 Speeches: Encomiums on Philip II
3/15 Aristotle pp. 172-214; Logos
3/17 Topos exercise; Aristotle pp. 215-282; Book III Style & Arrangement
3/19 Exam 2
SPRING BREAK
3/29 The Roman world view; Introduction to Cicero
3/31 ad Herennium; Expert Report
4/2 Fables exercise
4/5 Finish Fables exercise; Cicero pp. 7-21; Cicero: Reserve Readings; (Expert Report)
4/7 Cicero pp. 25-109: In Defense of Roscius of Ameria; Expert Report
4/9 Group Work: the Greek & Roman trials Continue
4/12 Continue In Defense of Roscius of Ameria
4/14 Cicero pp. 113-253: In Defense of Aulus Cluentius Habitus; Expert Report
4/16 Continue
4/19 Continue
4/21 Greek Trial
4/23 Roman Trial
4/26 Quintilian: On The Teaching of Speaking and Writing; Book One; Expert Report
4/28 Quintilian: On The Teaching of Speaking and Writing; Book Two; Expert Report
4/30 Quintilian: On The Teaching of Speaking and Writing; Book Ten; (Expert Report)
5/3 Review
Final Exam: 9:10 class is Monday May 10, 8-11 am; 10:20 class is Tuesday May 11, 8-11 am.
Students in the 10:20 class may elect to take the exam early with the 9:10 class
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