Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric is a book that focuses on well classical English rhetoric. The book is written by Ward Farnsworth, a lawyer who practices in PLACE. There are many good things about Farnsworth’s classical rhetoric. The main one is the thorough treatment that it gives to the twenty oratory-related rhetorical devices that it focuses on.
The book provides a wealth of great examples of rhetorical device usage. However, it is limited by the fact that the overwhelming majority of the authors that are used as examples are White males. It is even more restricted than just mere White males. They are mostly dead White males from the English tradition.
Not only is there a paucity of female and non-White authors, but the authors are all native English speakers. Farnsworth seems to think that the best examples of rhetoric would come from native English speakers. Lastly, the writers are restricted by era. There are no modern writers featured. The latest writers in the book are the likes of Mark Twain.
Nonetheless, the book is a perfect reference for rhetorical devices. In fact, it is more than a reference. It is a thorough study that deepens and expands a student’s understanding of rhetoric.
A thorough treatment of rhetorical devices
One would expect a book on rhetorical devices to be more or less a reference book. That is, a book with several encyclopedic or dictionary-type entries. However, this is not what we get with Farnsworth’s book. Farnsworth impressively breaks down and categorizes each device to expand their applications and give the readers a broader understanding of how these devices could be used.
The book focuses mostly on oratory-based rhetorical devices. This means it leaves out metaphor, simile, and other literary devices like alliteration, assonance, and so on. Instead, the domain of the book is that of political speeches, polemic, theatre, satire, and the like.
Farnsworth presents three broad categories of rhetorical devices. They are 1. “Repetition of Words and Phrases”; 2. “Structural Matters”; and 3. “Dramatic Devices.”
The table below shows the various devices under each section:
Category | Rhetorical Devices |
Repetition of words and phrases | |
Structural Matters | |
Dramatic Devices |
To keep the book easy-to-read and lively as opposed to a list of boring encyclopedic entries, Farnsworth does three things:
He frames or introduces the topic with an interesting story
He uses a unique and interesting subcategorization of each device
He makes sure to use numerous and entertaining examples
1. Interesting Framing
Let’s look at the first tactic — interesting framing. For example, to explain epistrophe he gives an account of what may be the most famous example of epistrophe in modern political history:
The most memorable moment — actually the only memorable moment — of the 1988 vice-presidential debate came when Dan Quayle, a young candidate for the office, suggested that he had as much experience as did John Kennedy before he was elected president. (p. 32)
Of course, this is the segue for the famous or rather infamous example of epistrophe, repetition at the end:
Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.
2. Unique categorization
In the case of unique categorization, chapters on each rhetorical device are much longer than one would expect. Furthermore, the chapters are lengthy not because of a long and dry list of quotes, but because each rhetorical device is categorized in a manner that sheds light on the versatility of each rhetorical device.
For example, in the case of epistrophe, he categorizes the chapter into ten sections, with copious examples under each. We can see that his style of categorization is unique because Section 10 is labeled “Note on Lincoln’s applications.”
3. Loads of interesting quotes
The fact that most of the authors featured in this book are dead White men who have been dead for centuries has no bearing on the versatility of the quotes. Most of the quotes are interesting in their own right beyond serving as examples of the rhetorical device that they demonstrate.
We are provided numerous examples of Lincoln’s mischief, sharp tongue, and affected politeness in political debates; Winston Churchill’s inspiring WW II speeches; and many others that most readers may not be familiar with.
I previously pointed out that most of the authors featured in the book are dead White men. This may be true; however, considering the diversity of the authors and how little known many of them are to a wider readership, Farnsworth may well be justified in focusing on them.
There is likely severe danger of these great examples of English rhetoric being lost to the general public. Many of the authors featured are already household names. For example, Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Sir Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and so on.
However, only a few would be familiar with the eloquent and mean put down of Alexander Pope by Lord Balfour using isocolon in 1887:
That “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” is a saying which has now got currency as a proverb stamped in the mint of Pope’s versification — of Pope who, with the most imperfect knowledge of Greek, translated Homer; with the most imperfect knowledge of the Elizabethan drama, edited Shakespeare; and with the most imperfect knowledge of philosophy, wrote the “Essay on Man.” (p. 77)
Just as few would know about Chesterton. Here he is using erotema (rhetorical questions) to mock the idea of applying scientific principles to faith or religion:
And I am sorry to say that this pamphlet of progressive religious views is full of baffling observations of that kind. What can people mean when they say that science has disturbed their view of sin? What sort of view of sin can they have had before science disturbed it? Did they think that it was something to eat? When people say that science has shaken their faith in immortality, what do they mean? Did they think that immortality was a gas? (p. 223)
Mark Twain is well-known as a witty and cantankerous author, but I can’t help but highlight this excerpt from his personal correspondence with Hartford Gas and Electric Co.:
Please take your electric light and go to--but never mind, it is not for me to suggest; you will probably find the way; and any way you can reasonably count on divine assistance if you lose your bearings.
Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric: A handy resource
You’ll get many sorts of treats and delights when reading this book. However, please have a highlighter and marker in hand when doing so. Unfortunately, the book is missing an index. This means you can’t go to the back of the book to conveniently look up the page where you remember reading so and so quote from an author whose name you can remember.
The book is excellent for teachers teaching rhetorical analysis. In particular, rhetorical analysis as required by Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition, which is more commonly known as AP Lang. The book provides principles of rhetoric that any student would find useful in carrying out rhetorical analysis. Besides that, it provides a rich catalog of quotes and writers that can inspire your own writing and interest and knowledge of rhetoric.
Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, November 04). Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric: A Review. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/farnsworth-s-classical-english-rhetoric-a-review |
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