Introduction to Classical Rhetoric

English 171:001
Professor Mary Hallet
Spring 2007
Mondays & Wednesdays 12:00-1:15 pm

In current contexts, the term "rhetoric" often has a negative meaning. For example, we often hear this term tossed about in relation to politicians who are bombastic, people who "twist" their words to suit their own ambitions and goals, regardless of "the truth." But in the times of Classical Rhetoric, the ancient Greeks and Romans—Aristotle, Quintilian, and Cicero, to name a few—often saw rhetoric as way of discovering and conveying "truth." Rhetoric in this sense was a means of persuasion, and the study of rhetoric was particularly important in a world where oral traditions—the art of delivering speeches and tributes—held precedence over the written word. Significantly, the rhetorical strategies employed by the great orators of the past remain pertinent today and can be applied to both written and spoken forms of argument and persuasion. From the age of the ancient Greeks and Romans until the present time, theorists and scholars continue to study the effects of Classical Rhetoric on current forms of, and ideas about, communication. In this course, we will focus both on the original texts of the classical rhetoricians and the theories that have evolved from the on-going studies of these texts over several centuries. We will place these readings and theories within the contexts of the times from which they evolved, and trace their influence on our study of a variety of current texts, both print and visual.

English Majors: Please contact your English Department faculty advisor to register as early as possible for the upper-division English classes you need. Doing so will help ensure that courses are not canceled and that you don't have to scramble to find replacement courses at the last minute. You may also contact Wayne Berninger at 718 780 4328 or via e-mail at wayne.berninger@liu.edu.  Below you will find descriptions of the upper-division courses being offered in Spring 2007. Be sure to check the requirements for your particular concentration (i.e., Creative Writing, Literature, or Writing & Rhetoric).

Non-English Majors: The writing and analytical skills that students gain in English classes are very useful in a variety of professional careers. So even if you are not an English major, you can take upper-division English courses-as long as you have already completed English 16, Core Seminar, and two core literature classes (from English 61-64). If you really want to build up your transcript, consider a minor in English, which consists of any four courses numbered 100 or above. If you'd like more information about minoring in English—or if you think you might like to major in English—contact Wayne Berninger at 718 780 4328 or via e-mail at wayne.berninger@liu.edu.