pathos
What does "pathos" mean?
Pathos refers to the quality in a work of art, literature, or speech that evokes feelings of pity, sadness, or compassion in the audience. The mental image is that of a storyteller or orator who touches a nerve, making the listener feel a deep, empathetic ache for a character or a situation that has suffered a loss or misfortune. It is most commonly used in academic or critical discussions regarding rhetoric and storytelling. While "empathy" is about feeling what someone else feels, "pathos" specifically describes the technique or the inherent quality used to stir those emotions within an audience. It is often paired with "ethos" (credibility) and "logos" (logic) as one of the three modes of persuasion.
"pathos" in conversation
Film critique
The ending of that movie was pure pathos.
The ending of that movie was pure pathos.
I agree, I was crying for twenty minutes.
I agree, I was crying for twenty minutes.
Used to describe a scene's emotional impact.
Writing workshop
You need more pathos in this chapter to make the reader care about the protagonist.
You need more pathos in this chapter to make the reader care about the protagonist.
Should I focus on the character's internal monologue?
Should I focus on the character's internal monologue?
Used as a technical term for emotional engagement in writing.
"pathos" in a sentence
The poem was filled with pathos.
The poem was filled with pathos.
The actor's performance brought a sense of pathos to the tragic role.
The actor's performance brought a sense of pathos to the tragic role.
The speech relied heavily on pathos to persuade the audience to donate to the cause.
The speech relied heavily on pathos to persuade the audience to donate to the cause.
