Introduction
This rhetorical analysis of Gorgias’s Encomium of Helen will focus on two chief parts of the judiciary
oratory convention that Gorgias implements to various effectiveness: enthymeme
and the topic of invention of testimony.
Enthymeme
Rather than being truly epideictic,
Gorgias’s Encomium of Helen is more
of a judiciary rhetoric. Gorgias speaks
of the past only and uses chiefly enthymemes, which are, according to Aristotle’s
Rhetoric, most suited for judiciary
rhetoric. Enthymemes are informal logic
that leaves out either a major or minor premise. They rely chiefly on popular opinions rather
than truth to persuade others. Enthymeme
is employed, among many other cases, when Gorgias claims, “For the will of a
god cannot be hindered by human forethought. For it is not natural for the
superior to be hindered by the inferior, but for the inferior to be ruled…by
the superior….accordingly, if one must attribute responsibility to…the gods,
one must acquit Helen of infamy.” Here,
the obvious and common premise that all humans are inferior to the gods is left
out of the argument. These enthymemes
are highly efficient to Gorgias’s argument.
He relies on the popular opinion to prove his case. His arguments, thus, seem logical and
indisputable to his audience even though they are not based on pure truth. Gorgias also secretly employs the pathos of
appealing to popular belief whilst maintaining a somewhat deceiving appearance of
logic.
Indeed, I felt a bit of the same as you did while examining Gorgias and his argument. Nowadays, people must be condemned or freed by the mouths of witnesses. The testimony of a witness is critical to reaching decisions in law cases. I noticed how Gorgias flew solo throughout his reasoning, but still succeeded in rallying, or ensnaring, listeners with his pretended infallibility.
ReplyDeleteI see your point about testimony. But, he stated at the beginning that he was basically arguing against everyone else's opinion. Perhaps it was that there simply was no testimony arguing the same way he was. Or, it could be that he was trying to get us to not rely on others' testimony and find out about it for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to note that Gorgias isn't really trying to save Helen's name. That is what he claims to be doing, but Helen is more of a legend at this point and what Gorgias says won't really change that. I think that might have something to do with why he phrased things the way he did, but more about that in my post!
ReplyDelete