I see that when Cicero writes in dialogue form, his ideas are easier to understand, the piece is more entertaining, and it is easier to read.
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Advantages that Cicero maybe saw in addressing ideas about rhetoric in dialogue form rather than in the regimented form that he uses in De inventione include that he has greater artistic expression, and that by writing in a narrative format he can express the inner creativity of his soul. Through dialogue form, Cicero is able to takes something that he previously approached from a scientific and factual angle and make it far more human and tangible.Courtney has identified that in De oratore, Cicero effectively uses his new tool of pathos.
Thomas noted that Cicero does not refer to himself in De oratore like he did in De inventione. This enables him to add a layer of depth to his understanding of rhetorical principles because he creates characters who discuss rhetoric.
Hailee focused on the ability of Cicero's use of dialogue form to help the reader feel comfortable with the rhetorical concepts and see how they can be applied in real world settings.
I like what you said about being able to use the creativity of his soul, and I think he must have enjoyed writing de oratore, but I personally think de inventione is easier to understand and easier to read. Though you also make a good point about de oratore being more human, and that is appealing too. Not sure which one I liked more.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we could analyze the people in our class based on which piece of writing they understood or liked more. It seems like we are pretty split on the issue. Some of us like the directness of de Inventione and others appreciate the dialogue of de Oratore. I wonder if we were to compare our preferences to say, our career blogs, if any patterns would emerge.
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