Lost Tools of Writing 3 (Deliberative Address) with Shakespeare

Practice the principal truths of rhetoric in the deliberative address through the eyes of some of the greatest characters in Shakespeare. Students will write nine deliberative addresses this year while practicing the first three canons of rhetoric: Invention, Arrangement, and Elocution. In LTW III, we learn to make decisions about a future action. We assume a perspective, find a necessary question, generate an issue, and attempt to persuade the audience (the decision-maker) to act: either to implement a change (the proposal) or to maintain the status quo. In Invention, we learn special topics to find advantages: honor and/or utility. In addition, we add three new and powerful tools: the modes of persuasion, the four causes, and analogical reasoning.

In arrangement, the deliberative outline adapts the elements (amplification, narratio, proof, etc.) learned in the judicial address to the needs of the deliberative address.

In elocution, the student will learn new schemes and tropes along with beautiful paragraph coherence and cohesion. 

When we have to make decisions about the future, the problem is obvious: we don’t know it. In real life, that means any decision we make is, to some extent, uncertain. Therefore, the bigger purpose of studying Level III is to grow in wisdom and prudence by practicing making difficult decisions from which we can learn principles and habits of decision making for our own lives and communities.  We will experience these truths as we deliberate with some of the greatest characters in six Shakespeare plays: two histories, two tragedies, and two comedies.

Each class involves the student in acting out parts of the plays and the recitation of a Shakespeare catechism.
Note: A student may enroll in LTW III if they have satisfactorily completed courses in LTW I & II.
Required Texts: LTW Level III Student Workbook, Folger Shakespeare Library editions of Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet, Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Tempest
Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of LTW I & II and the submission of completed address seven from Level II.
Suggested Age: 14 or with instructor and/or Admin permission.