The Rhetoric of Persuasion

The Rhetoric of Persuasion

The goal of all communication is to persuade the audience. To some it comes easily,
to others it is difficult to assimilate. According to the Greek Philosopher Aristotle,
persuasion could be brought about by the speaker’s use of three modes of “rhetoric” –
Ethos, Pathos and Logos.

Ethos: Ethos (Greek for ‘character’) in rhetoric is the demonstration of a
communicator’s character and/or credentials. The persuasion lies in the power and
authority of the speaker. Aristotle considered it the most important attribute of any
communication. The audience has to find the writer or speaker’s character credible
and trustworthy — otherwise, anything said from that point will not be persuasive.
Mortimer Adler (“Art of Persuasion”) draws attention to the classic illustrations of the
role of ethos in persuasion in the speeches made by Brutus and Mark Antony in
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

In Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar, the protagonist of the play, had been assassinated.
The citizens of Rome, gathered near his dead body in the forum, grieving for their loss,
angrily demand an accounting. Brutus, one of the conspirators who took part in the
assassination, mounted the rostrum to address them:

“Romans, countrymen and lovers! Hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you
may hear: believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you
may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s,
to him I say, that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend
demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved
Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living
and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?
As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he
was valiant, I honor him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for
his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death for his ambition. Who
is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.
Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I
offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him
have I offended. I pause for a reply.”

The citizens replied in unison: “None, Brutus, none.” Then, satisfied that he had
persuaded them that the assassination was justified, Brutus yielded his place to Mark
Antony. Before Antony can speak, the populace, completely won — or sold — by Brutus,
showerered him with acclaim and proclaim the public honors they wish to bestow upon
him in dead Caesar’s place. Brutus quietened them and implored them to listen to
Antony, to whom he had granted permission to speak. Thus introduced, Antony
addressed them:

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not
to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with
their bones; So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar
was ambitious; If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar
answered it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest — For Brutus is an
honorable man; So are they all, all honorable men — Come I to speak in
Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he
was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man. He hath brought many captives
home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar
seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of
sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable
man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honorable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, but here I am to speak what I do
know. You all did love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you
then to mourn for him? O judgement! Thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men
have lost their reason. Bear with me; my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar
And I must pause till it come back to me.”

The short speech of Brutus mainly illustrates the role of ethos, as does the somewhat
longer opening portion of Antony’s address. Practical persuasion is always selling
and compelling — whether it is in the market place or in the political forum, across the
counter or in a legislative chamber, in a commercial transaction or in a campaign for
public office, in the advertisement of a product or in an appeal for a public cause or a
political candidate.