sd,jfhdsakjfn dskfjhsdkjfh dsajfh kjldsfh dskljfh npnausng fcpuiek;qn fuqskjdanf qjksandc ueq;jkamsnf eqo;knepq;jnf ceqoi sadkfnciqeo Ethos (/ˈiːθɒs/ or /ˈiːθoʊs/) is a Greek word meaning "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology. The Greeks also used this word to refer to the power of music to influence its hearer's emotions, behaviours, and even morals.[1] Early Greek stories of Orpheus exhibit this idea in a compelling way. The word's use in rhetoric is closely based on the Greek terminology used by Aristotle in his concept of the three artistic proofs.
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology and origin
2 Current usage
3 Rhetoric
4 Character in Greek tragedy
5 Character, or ethos, in pictorial narrative
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links
Etymology and origin[edit]
Ethos (ἦθος, ἔθος, plurals: ethe (ἤθη), ethea (ἤθεα)) is a Greek word originally meaning "accustomed place" (as in ἤθεα ἵππων "the habitat of horses", Iliad 6.511), "custom, habit", equivalent to Latin mores.
Ethos forms the root of ethikos (ἠθικός), meaning "moral, showing moral character". Used as a noun in the neuter plural form ta ethika (τὰ ἠθικά), used for the study of morals, it is the origin of the modern English word ethics.
Current usage[edit]
Ethos can simply mean the disposition, character, or fundamental values particular to a specific person, people, corporation, culture, or movement. The Ethos refers to the spirit which motivates the ideas and customs. As T.S. Eliot wrote, "The general ethos of the people they have to govern determines the behavior of politicians."[2] One historian noted that in the 1920s, "The ethos of the Communist party dominated every aspect of public life in Soviet Russia."[3]
Ethos may change in response to new ideas or forces. Ideas of economic modernisation imported from the West in the 1930s brought about in Jewish settlements in Palestine "the abandonment of the agrarian ethos and the reception of...the ethos of rapid development".[4]
Rhetoric[edit]
In rhetoric, ethos is one of the three artistic proofs (pistis (πίστις)) or modes of persuasion (other principles being logos and pathos) discussed by Aristotle in 'Rhetoric' as a component of argument. Speakers must establish ethos from the start. This can involve "moral competence" only; Aristotle however broadens the concept to include expertise and knowledge. Ethos is limited, in his view, by what the speaker says. Others however contend that a speaker's ethos extends to and is shaped by the overall moral character and history of the speaker—that is, what people think of his or her character before the speech is even begun (cf Isocrates).
According to Nedra Reynolds, Professor of Writing & Rhetoric, "ethos, like postmodern subjectivity, shifts and changes over time, across texts, and around competing spaces" (Reynolds 336). However, Reynolds additionally discusses how one might clarify the meaning of ethos within rhetoric as expressing inherently communal roots. This stands in direct opposition to what she describes as the claim "that ethos can be faked or 'manipulated'" because individuals would be formed by the values of their culture and not the other way around (Reynolds 336). While its meaning and application within literature might differ over time, this classical interpretation persists.
There are three categories of ethos. phronesis - practical skills & wisdom arete - virtue, goodness eunoia - goodwill towards the audience
In a sense, ethos does not belong to the speaker but to the audience. Thus, it is the audience that determines whether a speaker is a high- or a low-ethos speaker. Violations of ethos include:
The speaker has a direct interest in the outcome of the debate (e.g. a person pleading innocence of a crime);
The speaker has a vested interest or ulterior motive in the outcome of the debate;
The speaker has no expertise (e.g. a lawyer
influenced was modern theater. The ancient Greeks were the first masters in the art of drama. Drama tells a story through the imitation of action, it started off as a ritual associated with the worship of Dionysus, god of wine, vegetation, and seasonal regeneration and became and elaborate art (Fiero, page 90). Theatrical performances were held in the city of Athens twice a year. As theater grew more cities built theaters and held performances there. Greek dramas addressed the relationship between…
Reflective Essay: ANCIENT ATHENA DRAMA Mysteries and tragedies have always been one of my favorite readings. Anytime I pick up a book about a full of suspense, mystery, or tragedy, it is well known that I will not drop that book until I have finished reading the story. Which is why it is not surprising that my favorite section of this course was the Ancient Athena Drama. Our literature book states that this is actually pretty common, most modern readers usually find Athenian drama very easy to appreciate…
Auriel Smith Oct. 8, 2013 Theatre 1 “Greek Theatre” You can go to a play almost anytime you choose. Hundreds of plays are performed almost every night of the week all across the United States. Your opportunities to see a play would have been very limited, however, had you lived in Greece around 400 to 500 B.C. Tragedy plays: Thespis is considered to be the first Greek "actor" and originator of tragedy (which means "goat song", perhaps referring to goats sacrificed to Dionysus before performances…
HSC REVISION – DRAMA Australian Drama and Theatre Early History and Development 1788 – 1850s - European settlers brought western traditions of theatre to Australia in the 1780s - Dominant attitudes shaped by the church (drama was innately evil) - Early colonial drama consisted of mostly English style musical theatre, comedies and pantomimes - Took on local themes and has been described merely as ‘disordered fun’ (humour and entertainment purposes) 1850s - 1900 - Biggest impact on Australian…
tended to be based on religious themes. Elizabethan dramas however, focused more on secular issues. Learning about the “heroic past” of their country was important to England’s playgoers. Tragedies of the era focused on creating a sense of both terror and pity in the audience. Shakespeare was the master of tragedy (Hamlet, Othello). In saying that, for one of the first times, English patrons could go to the theatre for a good laugh. Again, Shakespeare was the most popular, other writers such as Ben…
Explore the Changing roles of the playwright throughout the history of theatre. Reference must be made to at least 3 separate historical forms of theatre. The Three historical forms of Theatre I have chosen to focus on are Greek, using Euripides as an example of a Greek playwright, Elizabethan Theatre, using Shakespeare as an example of an Elizabethan playwright and Contemporary theatre, using Peter Shaffer as an example of a contemporary playwright. Throughout my research I discovered that whilst…
It is evident that in writing “Hamlet”, Shakespeare, to some extent, adopted the dramatic tradition of Revenge tragedy. Revenge implies the wronged individual taking the law into his own hands in order to satisfy an inner passion though in civilized society, this function of punishing the wrong doer is entrusted to the government or the state. The motive of revenge is a primitive emotion to be found in natural man, though it is a dangerous emotion. Revenge proved a popular theme for dramatists for…
the Works Cited page): Sophocles was born around the times of 496 B.C.E. into wealth, as a son of an arms manufacturer. As an Athenian citizen and “well-known as a masters of tragedy,” it is said that the “creator of Greek tragedy,” Aeschylus, trained Sophocles in writing Greek tragedy. Although Aeschylus created Greek tragedy, Sophocles perfected it. He was a “politician, priest, and military leader.” Throughout his life, “he scored the most wins in dramatic competitions” and in the City Dionysia…
4/25/13 Oedipus the king is a representative of ancient Greek drama by Sophocles. The Latin title of the play is Oedipus Rex. Though produced as the second play in the three sequences of Theban plays by Sophocles, it finds its way at the top of the sequence as a result of internal chronology. The next play in the sequence is Oedipus at colonus and finally Antigone. The play is an excellent example of Greek tragic plays (Bloom, 51). Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett, an Irish who won…
“Thy Naiad airs have brought me home” this line makes reference to the Naiads who were, in both Greek and Roman mythology, minor nature goddesses often referred to as nymphs who presided over mountains, rivers or forests. The Naiad airs would therefore be referring to a peaceful breeze. This symbolism of a Naiad airs provokes the reader to believe…