An Analysis of Rhetoric and Humour in Dudley’s Political Cartoons

Abstract

This article is a rhetorical and humorous study of Dudley’s political cartoons. The article explores the use of rhetoric and humour in Dudley’s political cartoons that were printed in 2012. All political cartoons were extracted from The Namibian newspaper. The cartoons were analysed for rhetoric and humour using both visual and language based elements. The analysis used 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 could support his arguments. The study 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.