The Five Canons of Rhetoric: Cicero´s De Oratore

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David Cutcliffe’s Pre Game Speech Applying Cicero’s Five Cannons of Rhetoric
The five canons of rhetoric, first introduced in Cicero’s, “De Oratore,” are important in the organization and prowess of oral or written forms of rhetoric, along with being demanding for the success of speeches and presentations. Cicero’s five cannons can be applied to the rhetorical situation surrounding the pre game speech given by Duke’s Head football coach, David Cutcliffe. Coach Cutcliffe was inspiring his team with an arousing speech before they took the field against the University of the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Belk Bowl of 2012 (ACC Digital Network, 2012). Cutcliffe’s use of the five cannons of rhetoric, presented by Cicero: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery are crucial to the make-up and impact the speech had for his players. According to the reading, “De Oratore,” good speakers need to have a grasp of knowledge in order to pass on what they are saying to their audience or listeners. Essentially, the five cannons of rhetoric bring an understanding and knowledge to every speech or presentation. They allow this text, “De Oratore,” to use an individual’s perspective to determine the value of whether Coach Cutcliffe’s speech uses all five of Cicero’s cannons while utilizing ethos, pathos, or logos.
Text
Duke is not formally known for its football, but rather its exceptional basketball team. After a long road of rebuilding the program’s football team, the players, along with Coach Cutcliffe get a chance to, after a winning season, represent their school in the Belk Bowl vs. the University of the Cincinnati Bearcats (ACC Digital Network, 2012). It is custom for the head football coach of a team to give an inspiring pre g...

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...effective usage of rhetoric (Mckay & Mckay, 2011). Therefore, Cicero and his implication of the five cannons of rhetoric in making a good speech can still be used today to make a speech worthy of persuading, informing, or listening too.

References
ACC Digital Network (2012, December 27). Duke Coach Cutcliffe's Rousing Speech.
Retrieved March 25, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHYJpt7EF4g Cicero. In (1971). P. Bizzel & B. Herzberg (Eds.), The Rhetorical Tradition
(2nd ed., pp. 283-343). Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martins.
McKay, B., & McKay, K. (2011, May 04). Classical rhetoric 101: The five canons of rhetoric.
Retrieved from http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/05/04/canon-of-delivery/

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