So You Want to Write a Speech…

In order to come to the “best answer,” Aristotle believed in using a thorough systematic analysis of the issue, the argument, and the audience. This resulted in many different lists, categories, and subcategories.

First on the to-do list is to decide which type of speech best fits the situation based on its content, your audience, and your aims. From there, you will be able to structure the argument more effectively.

The Types of Speeches

Aristotle categorized speeches based on shared characteristics and goals:

1. Epideictic- ceremonial speeches to blame or praise someone/something. They deal in the present; think eulogies, best man speeches, award acceptance speeches, graduation speeches (any commencement address you will ever have to sit through…), or just complaining about something!
2. Deliberative-often political with the intent to convince. They deal with the future Think of a court case’s closing argument, presidential debates, state of the union addresses, discussions as to where you should go on the weekend…They are usually the most common
3. Forensic-legal speeches that accuse or defend justice. They deal with the past. Think stuff in the courtroom (besides closing argument, mentioned above), or sticking up for a friend when you hear a rumor about them.

Once you know what kind of speech the situation required, you can figure out how to appeal to the audience. One of the most well-known Aristotelian concepts is The Three Appeals

Ethos- appeal to credibility. When the speaker tries to build up their reputation and make themselves more believable to the audience. The speaker can appeal through…

• Sagacity-convincing the audience that they are wise/knowledgeable
• Good will- convincing the audience that they deeply care about the topic at hand
• Character-convincing the audience that they have a good track record and strong morals

Pathos-appeal to state of mind/emotions. Think puppies, babies, nostalgia, and tear-jerking stories (hence the picture at the beginning of this post). This is contingent on…

• Where the audience is
• How emotions are connected to each other
• Proximity; how close the audience member is to the situation that you’re talking about.

Logos-logical appeal. Involves two types of reasoning

• Inductive (specific to general): “this happened to one person, so it must happen to all of you!”
• Deductive (general to specific): “Most people think/feel/do this, so you must too.”

Aristotle also named the possible parts of a rhetorical address. A general speech follows this formula; you might recognize it from the structured essays you were forced to write in high school.

1. Proem- introduce the issue
2. Narrative-explain the problem and evolve the argument
3. Argument- attempt to appeal
4. Epilogue- end the speech and urge the audience to take action

Now that we’ve outlined the major schools of thought and named a few important people, we should probably find some way of getting all this information straight and easy to memorize. In doing so, it is crucial that we understand the difference and similarities between the schools to better understand the evolution of rhetoric as a discipline.

Without further ado…let’s compare!