76-882 History of Rhetoric: The Classical Age and Its Legacy
9–12 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Spring 2024: The Classical Age and Its Legacy This class surveys a number of key concepts from canonical texts within the classical tradition of European rhetorical thought, beginning in antiquity with the Greek sophists, Plato, and Aristotle, then moving to treatises of Cicero and Quintilian from ancient Rome, before tracing the influence of the concepts developed by these figures in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Alongside canonical texts from the classical period, we will also read contemporary scholars and theorists who have examined and/or reappropriated their concepts in their work. Thus, we will seek to align canonical texts with contemporary adaptations and scholarship. The course is designed to provide you with a foundational knowledge of the classical rhetorical tradition¿its themes, controversies, and evolution¿to prepare you to situate your own scholarship and teaching in relation to the history of rhetoric and to teach a history of rhetoric course in your future careers. Ultimately, the course will challenge you to produce an original research study that investigates some aspect of the classical tradition or use historical concepts to understand contemporary rhetoric.
Prerequisites: none listed
Offered: Fall 2025
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