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Dramatic Irony
Definition of Ethos
Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Ethos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Ethos is... read full definition
Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
Part 3: Book 9, Chapter 6: The Prosecutor Catches Mitya
Explanation and Analysis—Dmitri's Defense:
Dmitri uses pathos and ethos while attempting to refute the accusation that he killed his father to the investigators:
Can you possibly think I’d conceal it from you if I really killed my father? That I’d hedge, and lie, and hide? No, Dmitri Karamazov is not like that, he couldn’t bear it, and if I were guilty, I swear [...] I’d have destroyed myself even before, without waiting for dawn! I feel that in myself now. I’ve found out more in this one cursed night than I’d have learned in twenty years of living … ! [...] Would I look at you and at the world like this, if I really were a parricide, when even the inadvertent killing of Grigory gave me no rest all night—
Dmitri knows that the facts are against him, as almost all evidence points to him as the murderer, even though he is in fact innocent. Nevertheless, he attempts to wield ethos, arguing that “Dmitri Karamzov is not like that.” His use of his own full name here reinforces his authority as a retired military officer and the son of a wealthy man. For Dmitri, it is inconceivable that a gentleman such as himself could have committed a “low” crime such as financially-motivated murder. Further, he appeals to the emotions of the investigators, emphasizing his willingness to commit suicide and his personal suffering during “this one cursed night.” Despite his appeals to authority and emotion, the investigators continue to pursue their investigation and consider Dmitri their primary suspect.
Related Themes:
