Rhetoric and Political Communication
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Educator, Med ‘Rhetorics, Human Studies and Education’
magdalini_lmpr@hotmail.com
Abstract: The topic of the current paper is the rhetorical analysis/evaluation of president Obama’s speech, through the lens of the neo-Aristotelian method of analysis. The methodological analysis is structured according to the five principles of Rhetoric speech, as mentioned in the work of Cicero, titled De Inventione. A comparative analysis of the persuasion techniques used by the speaker in relation to the Aristotelian rhetoric (textual and contextual rhetoric analysis) an examination of the principles and customs of fragments of the speech in question and a deeper critical insight of the primary message in order to highlight the ways this specific politic figure uses verbal and nonverbal elements to persuade in the field of presidential rhetoric.
Keywords: Barack Obama, neo-Aristotle analysis method, presidential rhetoric, political rhetoric, canons of classical rhetoric.