This course revives the study of the ancient art of persuasion (or rhetoric) for the twenty-first century, educating students in the skills necessary to become more persuasive communicators in a range of contexts, including legal. Beginning with a study of the fundamental elements of ancient rhetoric as set out by Aristotle, Cicero and Quintilian, we will examine some of the most famous examples of persuasive speech from the ancient world, including the appeal to Achilles in Homer’s Iliad, Socrates' Apology, and the speeches of Cicero. We will then apply our knowledge of rhetorical style to an analysis of famous examples of persuasive discourse and writing from the modern era, such as Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", John F. Kennedy's "Inaugural Address" and the speeches of Winston Churchill, Sir Robert Menzies and Paul Keating. The course will examine the role of persuasion in modern politics, law, advertising and marketing and there will be opportunities for students to practise their skills in persuasive writing and discourse. Students will have opportunities to analyse the rhetorical techniques deployed in legal judgments and guest lecturers will specifically address the art of persuasion in the legal context, particularly with respect to advocacy in court.

Textbooks:

Prescribed Texts:

Aristotle, The Art of Rhetoric (transl. H.C. Lawson-Tancred), Penguin, 1991.

E. Corbett and R. J. Connors, Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student (4th ed.).