A Journey to Aristotle’s Rhetoric: From Greece to Venus and Back Again
$700.00/year
A Journey to Aristotle’s Rhetoric: From Greece to Venus and Back Again
This class is currently archived, but if you're interested in it being taught again, you can
express your interest here!
09/07/2020 - 05/14/2021
Full Year
1.00 credits in Rhetoric
Grades 10-12
Taught by:
About the course
This will be an introductory course to the classical rhetorical tradition, a beginning survey—from Homer to Aristotle. Our fundamental question is that of definition: What is rhetoric? In order to answer that question, the course will cover classical informal rhetoric as found in ancient texts, formal rhetoric as created by celebrated Greek rhetors, and classical rhetorical theory as outlined by Aristotle. Alongside the ancient texts, students will engage C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy for modern examples of speaking and writing well. Throughout the course, our modern understanding of rhetoric will be scrutinized and judged against the foundations of this classical art.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, the learner will be able to:
- Give a working and personal definition of rhetoric.
- Identify the basic elements and structures of classical rhetorical pieces.
- Recognize and mimic classical rhetorical schemes and tropes.
- Identify rhetoric as a culminating art which finds its basis in Truth—an art which we as Christians have a responsibility to command, just as Christ did.
Texts:
- Homer’s Iliad, Fagles’ Translation (ISBN: 978-0140275360)
- Gorgias’ Encomium of Helen (PDF provided by teacher)
- Plato’s Gorgias (PDF provided by teacher)
- Plato’s Phaedrus (PDF provided by teacher)
- Aristotle’s Rhetoric, Roberts’ Translation (ISBN: 978-0486437934)
- C.S. Lewis’ Perelandra (ISBN: 978-0743234917)
- C.S. Lewis’ That Hideous Strength (ISBN: 978-0743234924)
About the teacher
Mary Patricia Rogers
Mary Pat lives with her husband and two children in New Mexico. She has a Masters in English from the University of Dallas and a Bachelor's in English and Writing from McMurry University. She enjoys cooking, watercolor painting, and fern spotting.