An analysis of rhetoric and humour in Dudley's political cartoons published in 2012
| dc.contributor.author | Mwetulundila, Rauna | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-04-09T11:42:31Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-04-09T11:42:31Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2014 | |
| dc.description | A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in English Studies. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | This dissertation is a rhetorical and humorous study of Dudley’s political cartoons. This thesis explored the use of rhetoric and humour in 25 Dudley’s political cartoons that were printed in 2012. All political cartoons were extracted from The Namibian newspaper. This was a qualitative study. Qualitative research design was chosen because of the descriptive nature of this study. This method is also good in gaining in-depth understanding and a clear description of the characteristics of the political cartoons used in this study. Criterion sampling was used to select all political cartoons that qualify to be part of this study. The study used semiotic and content analysis to sort out the content of the cartoons. Semiotic analysis was chosen because cartoons can be decoded well if an audience has background knowledge of the context in which the cartoon is based. The cartoons were analysed for rhetoric and humour using both visually and language based elements. The analysis of this thesis has employed Aristotle’s rhetorical proofs of persuasion: ethos, pathos and logos as well as humour theories of superiority and incongruity. The study revealed that Dudley’s political cartoons employ ethos when the characters who were chastised and cheered at are individuals who have high profile in society; people whom the readers are looking at and people who are deemed to have goodwill for the nation at heart. Pathos was used to stir up the emotions of the readers so that they can support his arguments. Logos was employed to show that the cartoons are based on the truth. The analysis has found out that there are many rhetorical devices used to make informed arguments. The study has revealed that when the caricatures are criticised and put down because of their actions, superiority theory of humour is employed. The cartoons are incongruous when the cartoonist delivers something humorous and different from the readers’ expectations. There is a predominant relationship between rhetoric and humour of Dudley’s political cartoons. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.other | thesis | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11070/779 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.subject | Political cartoons | en_US |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Political cartoons | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Caricatures and cartoons | |
| dc.title | An analysis of rhetoric and humour in Dudley's political cartoons published in 2012 | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |