Introduction

Mario Cuomo’s 1984 Democratic National Convention speech titled, “A Tale of Two Cities,” sparked my interest in the art of rhetorical criticism.  The speech illuminated the power of language to create a vivid image of American politics. 

Rhetorical criticism offers theoretical tools to interpret the world of language.  The art of studying rhetoric provides insights into human motives with verbal, textual, and visual forms of discourse.

The purpose of Richardson’s Rhetoric Blog is to investigate methods of rhetorical criticism.  My goal as a rhetorician is to discuss and invite questions for consideration about rhetorical criticism.  More specifically, Richardson’s Rhetoric seeks to understand two basic questions:

1.   How can rhetorical criticism continue to grow and flourish with interdisciplinary method approaches? 

2.   What are the “multiple” roles of the critic?

These questions are the foundation for Richardson’s Rhetoric Blog.  Each week I will explore new issues and post thoughtful discussions about rhetoric.  Please join me on my academic journey through the world of language and criticism.