Rhetorical Criticism

Rhetorical criticism refers to an approach that studies how a text communicates with and affects its audience. It analyzes features such as argument flow, repetition, emphasis, contrast, and appeal to shared values or assumptions. Rather than asking how a text developed historically, this method asks how it works as communication in its present form. Rhetorical criticism treats the text as a purposeful act of persuasion, exploring how its organization and language guide interpretation, evoke response, and establish authority or credibility.