The Unbounded Reach of Rhetoric

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The Unbounded Reach of Rhetoric
In the year of 1938, during the Nuremburg Conference, a man stands up to deliver the closing speech. This speech is not particularly as well known or as significant as many of his other speeches, but the words of this thin and paunchy man are strong and resolute. He states, “When the question is still put to us why National Socialism fights with such fanaticism against the Jewish element in Germany, why it pressed and still presses for its removal then the answer can only be: Because National Socialism desires to establish a true community of the people…. Because we are National Socialists, we can never suffer an alien race which has nothing to do with us to claim the leadership of our working people (Statements).” These are the words of Adolf Hitler. This speech, along with many other speeches given by Hitler has arguably caused one of the greatest genocides in the history of world. Whether it was Alexander the Great asking his fatigued men to continue the conquest to India or it was William Wilberforce addressing the British Parliament on necessary reformations on slavery, great men throughout history have used the power of rhetoric to gain immense support in their objectives. Rhetoric is capable of creating and changing history, and despite its relativity, rhetoric provides the pieces for an individual to come to a truth even if it is not the absolute truth. This is especially important because encompassed in the existence of the human condition is the inevitability of curiosity. Both Xenophon’s The Persian Expedition and Lysias’ orations exemplify the power of rhetoric.
It is important to realize that The Persian Expedition is written using a compilation of diaries during the time period aroun...

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...is the art of ruling the minds of men (Rhetoric).” The strength of rhetoric is undeniable, but in a sense flawed. Although the rhetoric opens up a plethora of possibilities, rhetoric does not perpetuate justice. Rhetoric is violent, bias, exclusive and boundless. It vacillates between a world of right and wrong.

Works Cited

"Rhetoric Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
"Statements by Hitler and Senior Nazis Concerning Jews and Judaism." Statements by Hitler and Senior Nazis Concerning Jews and Judaism. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
Stevens, William Arnold. Select orations of Lysias. Chicago: S.C. Griggs and Company, 1876. Print.
Warner, Rex, and George Cawkwell. The Persian expedition. Harmondsworth, Eng.: Penguin Books, 1972. Print.

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