Diatyposis

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An Introduction to Diatyposis

Diatyposis (etymologically from Greek) is a rhetorical device for the prescription of rules; a form of speech by which the speaker prescribes certain profitable doctrines or precepts to the audience. This is usually words of wisdom that should, could or would permeate posterity.

A Classic Example

  1. “Be thou bless’d, Bertram, and succedd thy father
    In manners as in shape! Thy blood and virtue
    Contented for empire in thee, and thy goodness
    Share with thy birthright!...
    …What heaven more will,
    That thee may furnish and my prayers pluck down,
    Fall on thy head! Farewell. My lord,
    ‘Tis an unseason’d courtier; good my lord,
    Advise him.”

    — (“All's Well That Ends Well,” 1.1.57)

    Excerpted from: “All's Well That Ends Well,” the themes of “virtue,” “honor,” and “redemption,” prominently feature in the sub-plots of this play; and as the lines above vividly denotes, The Countess is evidently determined to ensure that Bertram exhibits the traits of his father and grew into a man of “virtue” and “goodness”; The Countess’s wishes and blessing is typical of diatyposis.

Other Examples

  1. “My sonne hearken unto my wisdom, and incline thine ear unto my prudence, that thou may regard counsell, & thy lips observe knowledge, & c.”

    — (Prov.5.1.2.)

  2. “In dwelling, live close to the ground.
    In thinking, keep to the simple.
    In governing, don’t try to control.
    In work, do what you enjoy.
    In family life, be completely present.”

    — (Tao Te Ching)

  3. “Look up, laugh loud, talk big, keep the color in your cheek and the fire in your eye, adorn your person, maintain your health, your beauty and your animal spirits.”

    — (William Hazlitt)

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