Giving a speech in front of a large crowd can provoke fears in a human being similar to being thousands of feet in the air, being face to face with a lion, or being out at sea in a thunderstorm. So it’s always amusing to reveal to people that I am an avid enthusiast of public speaking. I don’t necessarily seek it out, and I still experience stage fright just like most others would, but I definitely am in the minority when I can safely proclaim that I feel excitement when graced with an opportunity to speak in front of an audience. The act of public speaking itself has been around for millennia, but how has it changed over the course of time? To answer this question, the history of communication itself must be analyzed.
Though humans have possessed the power of communication for thousands of years, it has evolved in many ways. For this specific analysis, I will be investigating the first three distinct periods in communication study: The Classical Period, The Medieval Period, and The Renaissance. Each of these eras influenced the way humans interact, and I’ll be focusing on how public speaking evolved over the course of these eras, while still maintaining building blocks and tactics from ancient times.
Many famous philosophers utilized public speaking during the Classical Period (500 BCE-400 CE). This period is when the very principles of public speaking developed. Speakers would persuade their audience using logos, pathos, and ethos. By appealing to both a listener’s logical and/or emotional thought processes, while establishing credibility as a moral and educated individual, a speaker is easily able to convince their audience to agree with their position. Another popular tactic founded in this time was the Socratic method, where a speaker could convince others to agree with them by simply asking questions to lead to a breakthrough or mutual understanding. These building blocks are still essential aspects to public speaking to this day.
Public speaking shifted during the Medieval Period (400 CE-1400 CE) when Christian influence was widespread. Many of the tactics used by speakers in the Classical Period were frowned upon by the church, specifically “rhetoric” which was seen as manipulative. This created a negative connotation surrounding classical methods by any practicing Christian. Preaching became the primary form of public speaking during this time, where communication was used to persuade people into Christian faith. However, tactics from the Classical Period were preserved by people such as clergyman Augustine, a Christian speaker who believed that rhetoric could be worthwhile for the church. This certainly was never popularized during the Medieval Period, earning this era the “dark ages” title for communication study.
The church was challenged during the intellectual movement known as the Renaissance (1400-1600 CE). People during this time would seek out alternative methods of education, which caused the Classical Period teachings to re-emerge. Though these now ancient methods were being amended by educational reformers such as Petrus Ramus. Contrasting philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, Ramus believed that moral purity was irrelevant to the art of public speaking. This is an important distinction, as there is no human in history who is without fault and flaw. I find this to be an incredibly significant turning point, as it encouraged anyone to find the opportunity to educate and persuade others via public speaking. No longer being reserved for those who saw themselves as “good men”, speakers that opposed the status quo could challenge moral “truths” that were presented as concrete by Classical philosophers.
While communication would continue to evolve through The Enlightenment and The Modern Period, it is clear that public speaking has prevailed over thousands of years while still maintaining the essential building blocks. The Classical Period introduced us to rhetoric, as well as logos, pathos, and ethos. Following periods amended and explored how these building blocks can be used to their full potential, giving anyone full capability to utilize public speaking to present ideas to the world, regardless of who they are or where they come from. And with the invention of technology and mass media via the internet, the opportunity for learning and public speaking has never been greater.
Tuck Talks 