Classical
Strategy
The Parts of Oration
From Cicero’s De Inventione
The Exordium (from Latin “to urge forward”)
Quintilian claimed that “the sole purpose of the exordium
is to prepare our audience in such a way that they will be disposed
to lend a ready ear to the rest of our speech.” Aristotle
claimed that introductions should “make clear what is the
end (telos) of the discourse.” Other goals of the exordium
include making the audience
- well
disposed toward the rhetor and the
issue and
- grabbing their attention.
Topics
for Making the Audience Attentive:
- Show
importance of the issue.
- Show how
the issue affects the audience.
- Show how the issue affects
everyone.
- Show how
the issue affects the general good of the community.
Topics for Making Audience Receptive:
- Strengthen your ethos.
- Weaken the ethos of those who oppose you.
- Show respect for the
audience.
- Praise an
issue or position while downplaying the position of your opponents.
Topics for a Hostile Audience:
- Admit the difference of opinion.
- Admit that the issue is unsavory.
- If the audience is tired, promise
to be brief.
The Narration (Statement of the Case)
State the issue clearly, concisely, and briefly. Consider omitting
the narrative if the audience is familiar with the topic.
If the audience does not know the topic, you may want to
consider including
a brief history so they can understand its importance.
The Partition
List or outline the arguments you will use in the paper. This helps
to clarify what will be covered and in what order.
The Confirmation (Arguments that make the case)
Be sure to spend time on the strong arguments and group the weak
ones together. You probably do not want to place the weakest arguments
last.
The Refutation (Arguments constructed to
anticipate opposing arguments)
Be sure to show that you have done your homework about your
topic, your audience, and your opposition. Be able to both
know and address potential
complaints about your argument.
The Peroration (Conclusion)
In the conclusion, you want to:
- Sum up your arguments,
- Arouse sympathy for the topic, and
- Motivate
the audience to
action.
Topics for Perorations
Summarize
- Review the issues.
- Briefly recall how each issue was supported.
Make Emotional
Appeals
- Invoke authority.
- Point out the effects.
- Show what happens if a state of affairs
remains unchanged.
- Point out the effects elsewhere.
- Show that a
decision can’t
be reversed.
- Show whether the state of affairs is intentional
or accidental.
- Demonstrate that the state of affairs violates
community values.
- Compare/contrast
the way that the state of affairs violates community values.
- Paint a
vivid picture of the effects.
- Show how the state of affairs
is insulting as well as injurious.
- Ask the audience to identify
with those injured or insulted.
- Arouse anger
at the opposing perspective.
- Imply ignorance
in the opposing perspective.
Enhance
Ethos
- Show how
the state of affairs has deteriorated.
- Show that
the state of affairs will continue.
- Show the
audience how they are harmed by the state of affairs.
- Paint vivid
pictures of current misery.
- Show how
the state of affairs causes people to behave badly.
This website includes alternative descriptions for these sections:
http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/gallery/rhetoric/terms/arrangement.html.
The details above
are from:
Crowley, S., & Hawhee, D. (1999). Ancient rhetorics
for contemporary
students (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and
Bacon.
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