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    Monday
    Feb132012

    Whitney's Great Oration

    DateMonday, February 13, 2012 at 06:17PM

    This astonishing performance by the late Whitney Houston at the 1994 Grammies shows the emotional power of a classical oration: exhortation, narration, division, and killer peroration.  This Ciceronian outline works emotionally in a song as well as it does logically in a speech. RIP, Ms. Houston.

     

    AuthorFigaro | Comment1 Comment |
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    Reader Comments (1)

    Hi, Fig. Absolutely an astonishing performance, and I thank you for bringing it back to my attention. And, kudos for recognizing the argument form. But...shouldn't credit for the (rhetorical) arrangement really go to Ms. Dolly Parton?
    February 23, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterKen Purscell

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