Rhetoric III- Advanced Public Speaking

Wittenberg Academy's Advanced Public Speaking course, taught by Rev. Paul Cain, emphasizes the cultivation of style and imagination, taking a classical approach that students enjoy. The course centers around a series of three speeches, inspired by the "imitatio" method from Roman and medieval times. Students study, memorize, and declaim excerpts from great oratory before composing original speeches, demonstrating a graduated approach to mastering stylistic excellence. The curriculum begins with an overview of rhetoric in the liberal arts, followed by focused study on elements of style, and includes speaking assignments to help students break the ice. Through memorization and essentializing exercises, students apply classical concepts to contemporary situations, culminating in an original oration that showcases mastery of course content. They learn to movingly address an audience and deploy figures of speech masterfully.