Classical Rhetoric: History, Theory and Practice

3 credits · Undergraduate

(3 hrs Lecture) This course examines the history, theory, pedagogy, and practices of the classical period of western rhetoric, extending from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey of the eighth-century BCE to the rhetorical thinkers of the first-century CE. Students discuss the work of such canonical figures as Gorgias, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian, locating them within the intellectual, political, and historical influences of their time. Always, the focus is rhetorical, students locating the origins of many rhetorical concerns in the classical period and tracing how these concepts, terminologies, and techniques persist and change throughout the ages. Cross-listed: RHET-3750(3). Restrictions: Students may not hold credit for this course and RHET-3750. Requisite Courses: Any section of Academic Writing or exemption from the writing requirement and completion of 24 credit hours [prerequisite(s)].