Socrates Rhetoric Analysis

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Socrates, a Philosopher
Socrates lived at a period when the ancient city-states of Greece were in war leading to the ultimate defeated of his polis, Athens by Sparta during the Peloponnesian War. Socrates was fond of discourse and arguments on free thought and rhetoric. One of his most famous works, the “Apology” and inspiring Greek writer Xenophon to recreate his conversations in literary works after his death to include “Memorabilia” and “Economicus”. These writings appeared around the same period of the height of Plato’s activity through teaching rhetoric and philosophy in ancient Greece (Huang 404). Thus, it is prudent to explore both the writings of other Greek thinkers to lay down the proper and exhaustive foundation on the philosophy, plays, and teachings of Socrates (Russell 59). The rhetoric of Socrates did not sit well with the aristocrats in Greece who constantly accused him of corrupting the youth and leading meaningless and at times profane thought in both the youth and his students. The writings of the “Apology” finally culminates in the death of Socrates, who was killed by poison after being accused by informants and his old accusers of not grounding his arguments …show more content…

The work also disputes Socrates idea of the democracy of the juries of Athens, which he sees as corrupt and laden by tyranny (Brainerd 21). This view of tyranny can be said to be the narrow-mindedness of the jury, which condemned him to death without fully exploring his defense. Despite the applaud, Plato gets by simply not carrying the philosophy of his teacher with him, but to create his own political though makes Socrates teachings almost complete. A student cannot live in the shadow of his master all along, and Plato is dismembering himself from complete interruption by Socrates teaching seals the fate of Socrates aims, free thought and free

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