Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysis

One of the dearest subjects to any interpreter of Plato's Apology of Socrates is the issue of the relationship between Socrates and rhetorical art, which the character both employs and censors. Nearly all the discursive strategies contained in Socrates' speech can be analyzed from this per...

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Main Author: Luisa Severo Buarque de Holanda
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Published: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) 2018-06-01
Series:O Que Nos Faz Pensar
Online Access:http://www.oquenosfazpensar.fil.puc-rio.br/index.php/oqnfp/article/view/598
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author Luisa Severo Buarque de Holanda
author_facet Luisa Severo Buarque de Holanda
author_sort Luisa Severo Buarque de Holanda
collection DOAJ
description One of the dearest subjects to any interpreter of Plato's Apology of Socrates is the issue of the relationship between Socrates and rhetorical art, which the character both employs and censors. Nearly all the discursive strategies contained in Socrates' speech can be analyzed from this perspective. In this article, I examine one of those strategies, which plays an important role in the construction of the Socratic discourse: the example of Achilles, who, in the Iliad section quoted in the work, deliberately goes towards death to avenge Patroclus. Comparing his own situation to that of the hero and focusing on the death penalty proposed by his accusers, the philosopher reflects on the risk to which he is exposed at that time; justifying himself, he recalls the situation of the epic hero who preferred avoiding dishonor to avoiding death. From a detailed analysis of the passage in question, as well as a confrontation with the Homeric text there cited, I intend to draw the consequences that this example can have for the reading of the dialogue as a whole.
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spelling doaj.art-5b010460431e4a2d9d6a93f167af88c12022-12-21T22:44:23ZporPontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)O Que Nos Faz Pensar0104-66752018-06-012742233410.32334/oqnfp.2018n42a598598Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysisLuisa Severo Buarque de Holanda0PUC-RioOne of the dearest subjects to any interpreter of Plato's Apology of Socrates is the issue of the relationship between Socrates and rhetorical art, which the character both employs and censors. Nearly all the discursive strategies contained in Socrates' speech can be analyzed from this perspective. In this article, I examine one of those strategies, which plays an important role in the construction of the Socratic discourse: the example of Achilles, who, in the Iliad section quoted in the work, deliberately goes towards death to avenge Patroclus. Comparing his own situation to that of the hero and focusing on the death penalty proposed by his accusers, the philosopher reflects on the risk to which he is exposed at that time; justifying himself, he recalls the situation of the epic hero who preferred avoiding dishonor to avoiding death. From a detailed analysis of the passage in question, as well as a confrontation with the Homeric text there cited, I intend to draw the consequences that this example can have for the reading of the dialogue as a whole.http://www.oquenosfazpensar.fil.puc-rio.br/index.php/oqnfp/article/view/598
spellingShingle Luisa Severo Buarque de Holanda
Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysis
O Que Nos Faz Pensar
title Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysis
title_full Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysis
title_fullStr Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysis
title_full_unstemmed Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysis
title_short Tragedy and anti-tragedy in the Apology of Socrates: a rhetorical analysis
title_sort tragedy and anti tragedy in the apology of socrates a rhetorical analysis
url http://www.oquenosfazpensar.fil.puc-rio.br/index.php/oqnfp/article/view/598
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