Are drama and public speaking different?

Considering the monologues that take place in Greek drama, they knew how to mix both of these elements to get both points across. Consider Odysseus’s speech to Hecuba after she pleads with him to let her daughter go free. He spoke of their need to honor the dead, for if we honor not our dead then we cannot expect other men to join the fight because they will not be remembered for their sacrifice.

• This was effective at persuading because I felt myself be convinced of it. It was a feeling of “you know, he makes a good point”. Moreover, shortly afterwards polyxena is allowing herself to be taken away (there were other influencing factors as well, but still she went away willingly).

• It was effective at describing the human condition because it made all of us think about our own desires for immortality, to be remembered, to be recognized for our sacrifice.

Perhaps they are not all that distinct after all. Consider that through drama they are trying to achieve what end? One major end is that they are trying to persuade not to fall into the flaws that they are presenting. Could the same thing be said of public speaking? Trying to guide those around you to make the best decision so that they don’t succumb to the flaws you are telling them of?

They both are a way of explaining that which we alone cannot explain. Why would a woman slit out the eyes of another man and kill his children? By dramatizing the event we are able to objectify, classify, and understand it. The same could be said of public speaking. Why would someone sacrifice someone they don’t want to? By explaining the reasons and persuading the audience we are able to understand the necessity of it.