Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”Written in

approximately 414 B.C.

“Encomium” as a a genre of oratory that praises the virtues of someone and their actions—in this case, the somewhat notorious Helen, whose virtue is generally considered questionable at best

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”The beautiful Helen,

wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta, was abducted by Paris, a prince of the city of Troy. To get her

back, the Greeks united in a war against Troy

that destroyed the city. Helen returned to

Greece with Menelaus.These events supposedly

took place 1000 B.C.

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”

“…I wish to free the accused of blame and, having reproved her

detractors as prevaricators and

proved the truth, to free her from their

ignorance.”

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”

There are four arguments condemning Helen in this treatise: what are they and how does Gorgias refute them?

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”Now, let’s apply the Big Four:

#1 How does Gorgias define rhetoric?

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”Now, let’s apply the Big Four:#2: What are the consequences of this definition for:a) Creators of Texts

(rhetors)b) “Readers” of Texts

(audiences)c) Locations of Texts

(situations)

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”Now, let’s apply the Big Four:

#3: What is the relationship between language and knowledge (epistemology) in this definition?

Gorgia’s “Encomium of Helen”Now, let’s apply the Big Four:

#4: How might this definition be applied (or not) to contemporary texts?

January 19, 2012

Plato’s Gorgias

Plato’s GorgiasWritten in 380 B.C.The central question

in this dialogue is the value of rhetoric and underlying this central discussion is the question of the relation between rhetoric and knowledge

Plato’s GorgiasCharacters:

SocratesGorgiasPolus

CalliclesChaerephon

Plato’s GorgiasThe “Appoaching

Plato” guide I’ve shared with you provides us with a nice breakdown of this dialogue. Let’s go through that together, focusing on Socrates’ discussions with Gorgias, Polus and Callicles.

Plato’s GorgiasNow, let’s apply the Big Four:

#1 How does Plato define rhetoric?

Plato’s GorgiasNow, let’s apply the Big Four:

#2: What are the consequences of this definition for:a) Creators of Texts

(rhetors)b) “Readers” of Texts

(audiences)c) Locations of Texts

(situations)

Plato’s GorgiasNow, let’s apply the Big Four:

#3: What is the relationship between language and knowledge (epistemology) in this definition?

Plato’s GorgiasNow, let’s apply the Big Four:

#4: How might this definition be applied (or not) to contemporary texts?