Encomium & Invective: AKA: Blaming and Praising; chiefly, the author finds fault with or commends a particular person; however, these can be used in regard to abstract ideas (innocence, wisdom), or times (a season, or an era), places, animals, etc.
Mode: Exposition, Description
Means: Use all skills previously mastered and follow this pattern:
Prologue - composed of 4 sentences:
1st Sentence - utilize 2 "Heads of purpose": Justice, legality, possibility, decency, etc... [i.e. it is right (just) to honor those who have.....and to recall the benefits (decency) they bestowed....]
2nd Sentence - Thesis expressing purpose or intent of essay
3rd Sentence - Heighten the praise by pointing out that this person: is the only one is the first one is almost the only one has done it better than all others has done it at an unexpected time, etc.
3rd Sentence - Heighten the praise by pointing out that this person: is the only one is the first one is almost the only one has done it better than all others has done it at an unexpected time, etc.
4th Sentence - states or reiterates the good attributed to the person
Birth, Source, Origin - describe a person's stock
People/Nation
Country/Homeland
Ancestors/Heritage Parents
People/Nation
Country/Homeland
Ancestors/Heritage Parents
Upbringing - describe a person's background
Education
Training
Instruction
Pursuits
Education
Training
Instruction
Pursuits
Achievments - describe the person's deeds which proceed from:
Excellency of mind (prudence, bravery, wisdom)
Excellency of body (beauty, speed, vigor)
Excellency of fortune (position, power, wealth, friends)
Comparison - make a favorable 3-sentence comparison to escalate your praise
1st Sentence - Ask a question (Can so-and-so's accomplishments compare...?)
2nd Sentence - Highlight the difference (So-and-so did it because....but he did it for...)
3rd Sentence - Draw an analogy (In the same way "this" excels "that", so does so-and-so's action exceed....)
Epilogue - Briefly exhort your audience to emulate this person
The descriptions above all apply to Encomium. Simply reverse the positives to negatives to compose an Invective.
Also, the specific # of sentences prescribed for the Prologue and Comparison are for the benefit and discipline of students learning the process...an experienced writer need not follow such rigid formulas. The same basic ideas should be included, but it may take 2 sentences or it may take 8.
The 10th Stage is:
Comparison: A full-fledged comparison made through a double Encomium or a combination Encomium/Invective. Follow the same procedures outlined above for both persons, highlighting the similarities (double encomium) or the differences (encomium/invective). Plutarch's Lives provides an excellent example of Comparison.
7 comments:
I think you should switch back to the White Zinfadel; the Merlot is affecting you a little too strongly. (Or, maybe it was just the time of day/night, don't know.)
(You didn't graduate from FONTbonne by any chance, did you?!!)
What are you talking about?
Whatever you are drinking, please pour me a glass!
When you first started your series on Rhetoric I thought, "Hey, I am going to teach this to my kids." Then weeks later I thought, "I want Lori to teach this to my kids." Now I am thinking, "Lori, teach this to me," and I realized that you have been!
Thank you for sharing some of your amazing talents with us!
Well, I owe you an apology. When I looked at this post in Safari browser, the letters keep getting bigger and bigger as you scroll down, so big in fact, that one letter takes up an entire line by about halfway through the post. You know, like 96 pt. type!! So, lest you think it is I who needs to drink a more tame wine, I viewed your post "normally" using the Firefox browser. Now, I think I should probably get a stronger wine to help me cope with the pressures of dicerning it all, intellectually speaking! Good job on your part.
Debbie,
You're too kind. I hope the information actually proves useful for you in your faithful homeschooling endeavors!
BTW, it's No.8 Red Zinfandel at the moment...come on by!
Mr. Dad,
O,phew! I re-read my post half a dozen times to see what really stupid thing I had said that prompted your response...and I couldn't find it! So glad to know it wasn't MY stupidity...this time! ;)
maybe I will...
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