Rhetorical Analysis Of The Inquisitor - 926 Words

In this monologue, the Inquisitor is presenting his case against heresy to the church court. He believes that Joan is guilty of heresy and should be executed for her crimes. The inquisitor emphasizes throughout his argument that heresy is the most dangerous threat to society that exists, and that it needs to be â€Å"ruthlessly stamped out† (Line 12), to maintain silence and order in the community. His argument is strung together with the use of rhetorical devices such as ethos, diction, and deceit, to strengthen his case. A large part of what makes the Inquisitor’s monologue so off-putting is his commanding tone and a strong appeal to ethos. The Inquisitor’s diction is dark, violent, and unforgiving towards heresy, and he takes every†¦show more content†¦A gentle and pious girl, or a young man who has obeyed the command of our Lord. . . may be the founder of heresy that will wreck both church and Empire. . .† (Lines 5-12). By claiming this is true, he is directing his argument more so towards heresy, and away from Joan. This makes it easier for the court to justify murdering Joan, because the notion of eliminating heresy from the empire is easier on the conscience of Christian authority than the notion of torturing a young girl. The inquisitor also states that these heretics are not liars or hypocrites, and that they truly believe what they preach. He elaborates by explaining how the road to heresy is a slippery slope, and a simpleton’s failure to conform to blind belief, is always dangerous and can only end in diabolical wickedness. This is, at last, what reveals the Inquisitor’s true enemy: free thought. Free thought is dangerous to the church and empire of this period because the entire belief system of the community is based upon church elites deciphering ancient texts, of which they are to retell to the common people. This way, the clergymen have the right to alter or omit pieces they donâ€⠄¢t want shared with the public. This also establishes a higher status above the common people, who are told they could never dream of understanding the texts on their own; â€Å" The records of the holy inquisition are full of histories we dare not give to the world, because they are beyond the belief ofShow MoreRelatedAp European History Outline Chapter 10 Essay example5639 Words   |  23 Pagestextual analysis and historical logic to prove that the document had been written in the eighth, rather than the fourth, century * Less than a century later, Valla became a hero to Protestant reformers * Civic Humanism emerged out of the belief that education—unlike that provided by scholastics—should promote individual virtue and public service * Three famous civic humanists were Coluccio Salutati, Leonardo Bruni, and Poggio Bracciolini who used their rhetorical skillsRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 PagesReasons ................................................................................................ 236 Deceiving with Loaded Language ................................................................................................... 238 Using Rhetorical Devices .................................................................................................................. 240 Review of Major Points .............................................................................................