In the Genesis account of creation
Where God creates everything in the world out of nothing, the power of speech is clearly demonstrated. Since speech originates from one's conception of reality, one should never undervalue the mouth as an instrument in reality creation. Depending on one's status in society, it has a different command of impact. Leaders can persuade their followers to support their beliefs. Some disciples might even risk their lives in order to protect them. Rhetoric is the art of convincingly persuading an audience by using pretentious, cognitively shallow, ornate, and sincere language.
'The Odyssey' is a tale of Odysseus journey
When he left the Trojan War to his home. He struggles with supernatural creatures and the wrath of gods. On the other hand, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus deal with her suitors who have been eyeing both Ithaca's throne and Penelope's hand in marriage. On arrival, Odysseus wins a contest that proves his supremacy, kills his wife's suitors and reclaims his throne. This paper identifies instances of rhetoric in 'The Odyssey' and discusses how human language and its powers are meditated upon in ancient western literature.
The first rhetoric is in Odysseus' address to Calypso
Where he begs for his freedom. He flatters the goddess of her height and beauty and informs Calypso that his wife Penelope does not compare to her in any capacity. Odysseus uses oratory skills to get on the goddess' right side without invoking her wrath. She felt adored and develops a soft spot for Odysseus (Butler line 215). He expresses humility and feebleness in his words by mentioning that his journey may be subject to wrecking by other gods in his voyage. That made Calypso feel very powerful knowing that Odysseus acknowledges that his safety will be compromised without her. Importantly, Odysseus is keen not to mention that he wants to return to his wife because it would make Calypso jealous and bear dire consequences for him. He instead talks about his quest to return home and Calypso sympathizes with him by granting his freedom.
Odysseus also uses rhetoric when he approaches Nausikaa
A 14 year old princess requesting for her assistance. He is naked and needs help from her. She talks to the princess to reassure her that he had no intentions of sexually assaulting her despite having no clothes on. Odysseus carefully selects words that imply to Nausikaa that she is supreme to her and there is nothing he can do to harm her. His skill in manipulation helps Odysseus to obtain the favor that he needs from Princess Nausikaa. He compares her to virgin goddess Artemis to show Nausikaa how much he holds her in high regards.
Notably, The Odysseus shows various instances that Odysseus has used his speech to his advantage.
He persuades his audience by praising their abilities and humbling himself to appear smaller than them. That massages their ego, and they feel obliged to grant Odysseus whatever he needs from them. In most western literature, the rhetoric theme has been employed significantly. Odysseus' experience at war has had him earn favors from many people in his kingdom. He is full of empty words that are meant to add flattery to his audience, and most of them are women. Females feel appreciated when their femininity is acknowledged. In the book, Odysseus being a king that humbles himself enough to praise princesses and goddesses earned him all that he wanted. He got the freedom to return home to his wife Penelope, and his kingdom was restored after winning a contest that validated him.
Western literature of the 19th century encouraged speakers to attempt to move audiences to see their points of view.
Rhetoric forms the basis for developing an argument to persuade audiences. Aristotle launched the approach of appealing to the ethos, logos, and pathos of the person being addressed. Pathos tackles the emotion, logos uses reason, and ethos persuades of character. Odysseus uses all the three tools of persuasion in the mentioned instances. In appealing to the goddess, he tells her that the reason he needs to let him go was that he needed to be home again. Logically, Calypso gets to understand the reason why she should release Odysseus and allow him to return home. He paints himself as a humble individual and acknowledges that he is mortal and will be exposed to many risks but he still wants to travel back. Odysseus mentions his inadequacies as a human being to make Calypso feel superior to him. The ethos applied validates his character as a helpless person who wants to try to go home despite all obstacles. Pathos is seen in Odysseus' flattery of the goddess that melts her heart in a significant way. He praises Calypso physique, beauty, and height and makes her feel attractive. She thinks that Odysseus' desire to leave home has nothing to do with her because he acknowledged that she was better than his wife. Emotions of love must have made Calypso lenient with Odysseus and prompted her to release him to go home.
Choice of words is very significant to the outcome of any particular situation.
If Odysseus were honest enough to tell Calypso that he wanted to go home to his wife and reign over his kingdom, he would have never been granted freedom to leave. The skill of picking words will ensure that the right emotions were evoked. Rhetoric allows speakers to use empty words and deceit in persuading their audiences. Odyssey found his wife extremely beautiful inside and out, but he had to tell the goddess that her beauty was beyond Penelope's. Praising his wife would have made Calypso jealous because she was in love with Odysseus. Therefore, he focused on the desired outcome of the circumstances confronting him and used it to his advantage. Similarly, Odysseus used verbal rhetoric in his encounter with Princess Nausikaa. Though she felt threatened by the fact that the man was naked, his words of flattery reassured her of her safety and guaranteed her an assault-free conversation. If Odyssey had spoken words that demonstrated a lustful man, he would have tainted the princesses' perception of him. Instead, he earned her trust and got the needed help eventually.
Rhetoric is evident in Odysseus' address to goddess Calypso and Princess Nausikaa
Where he manages to use words that trigger the outcome he desired. Ancient western literature valued this approach to influence as seen in Aristotle's approach. Similarly, Odysseus uses ethos, pathos, and logos in his persuasion to capture the reasoning, emotions, and to ethically convince his audiences.
Work cited
Butler, Samuel. The Odyssey of Homer. 1900. Ed. Louise Ropes Loomis. New York: Walter J. Black, 1944.
