Aristotle's Three Rhetorical Settings Today
We encounter various forms of rhetoric in our everyday lives. While watching the news, attending a sermon at church, or even discussing policies at the office, circumstances or settings dictate the way rhetoric is delivered. Aristotle described the division of rhetorical situations into three separate forms of oratory which he coined deliberative, epideictic, and forensic.
Just yesterday, President Biden signed a law making June 19th a federal holiday. Known colloquially as Juneteenth, it marks the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free following the end of the civil war. The deliberations leading up to the signing of the bill took place earlier in the week where it passed through the Senate unanimously and then the House of Representatives with a 415 to 14 vote. Although the debate in congress was swift in this case, this exemplifies what Aristotle called “deliberative oratory”. The recognition of this new holiday may be decades after it should have been signed into law, however, it comes at a crucial time for our country and looks to the betterment of our future. Racial injustice and widespread protests have been at a boiling point for the last few years and the emotional significance of this new holiday shows an act of faith towards the stitching of our divided country.
While debating to pass a bill through congress is an example of deliberative oratory, the speeches given at the bill signing ceremony are described in a different rhetorical setting. Aristotle defined “epideictic oratory” as oratory that praised citizens for a great accomplishment, publicly condemned someone for a vicious action or eulogized the deceased (Herrick, 2018, p.90). Referring to not only the Union’s victory over the Confederates, but more significantly about freeing enslaved African Americans, Biden said, “all Americans can feel the power of this day and learn from our history and celebrate our progress”. This phrase and the marking of the holiday are clear messages to hopefully persuade the attitudes and actions bolstering unity for our country. Epideictic oratory is used to amplify the message while prompting thought, reflection, or embracing a new idea.
The last
rhetorical setting Aristotle described is “forensic oratory”. If you’ve ever
been involved in or watched a court hearing, you
were audience to this type of
rhetorical setting. Also known as judicial speaking, forensic oratory pulls
together past facts and deals with questions regarding justice, severity of a
crime, and appropriate punishment. This rhetorical situation was Aristotle’s least
favorite because of its limited scope, he preferred deliberative oratory
because it dealt with matters that affected the whole city-state.
Like I said, we’re audience to different types of oratory every day, depending on the setting and intended outcome. Watching presidential debates, Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, or just tuning into Judge Judy on T.V., a speeche's delivery method has to change based on the setting. Aristotle’s defined rhetorical settings are just as applicable today as they were 2,000 years ago.
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