Previous
Mood
Definition of Pathos
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—My Early Home:
Black Beauty contains a great many appeals to pathos, which begin right at its outset. When Black Beauty recalls moments with his mother, for example, the author is appealing to the reader’s emotions directly:
I have never forgotten my mother’s advice; I knew she was a wise old horse, and our master thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess, but he often called her Pet. Our master was a good, kind man [...] and my mother loved him very much.
An appeal to pathos is a rhetorical device that elicits emotions in the audience. It attempts to persuade them towards a particular viewpoint. By targeting the listeners' feelings and sentiments, Sewell aims to make her argument about horses having real feelings more compelling and relatable. The deep-seated bond between Duchess and Black Beauty is painted with gentle strokes of warmth and mutual respect. She is a loving mother raising a kind son, in the same way that idealized human mothers were often depicted in Victorian novels. Furthermore, Duchess is portrayed not merely as a mother but as a beacon of wisdom. Her words and actions echo forward into Black Beauty’s adult life, lingering long after she is gone.
Farmer Grey's affection toward Duchess, referring to her endearingly as "Pet," accentuates the depth of their bond. “Pet” in a British context is a term of endearment, implying smallness and the desire to care for the person it addresses. Here, however, it also speaks to the fact that Duchess is more than a working animal with a job to do for the Farmer: she’s a beloved pet. The pathos Sewell evokes in this passage and others like it makes the impending tragedies and separations the horses will undergo even more poignant.
Related Themes:
Chapter 34
Explanation and Analysis—Captain's Tale:
The old ex-warhorse Captain tells Black Beauty about the horrors of war and the death of his owner. He invokes the reader’s sense of pathos, and uses strong visual and tactile imagery to make the scene come to life:
‘My master, my dear master, was cheering on his comrades with his right arm raised on high, when one of the balls, whizzing close to my head, struck him. I felt him stagger with the shock, though he uttered no cry [...] I wanted to keep my place by his side, and not leave him under that rush of horses’ feet, but it was in vain; and now, without a master or a friend, I was alone on that great slaughter ground; then fear took hold of me, and I trembled as I had never trembled before; and I too, as I had seen other horses do, tried to join in the ranks and gallop with them; but I was beaten off by the swords of the soldiers.'
This passage is tragic, as are most of the moments in the novel which involve Captain. There’s a big change in tone from the prideful and triumphant beginning of this chapter. The reader already feels pity for the horse, but when he describes his "dear master," the author evokes a strong emotional connection between Captain and his owner. This illustrates a bond the reader can empathize with. The language describing the old horse's fear and grief also appeals to the reader's sense of pathos, as Captain describes his pitiful situation alone on the "great slaughter ground."
The tactile and visual imagery here vividly portrays the chaos of a battlefield. The rushing horses, the sensation of being swept away, and the "great slaughter ground" itself all paint a clear picture of the war's harrowing nature. Although Captain is a big animal, Sewell describes him as "trembling" all over, making the reader feel his anguish and terror as he's "beaten" by the swords and caught in the flood of bodies. Through Captain's experiences, the narrative showcases the devastation of war for Sewell's reader. Battles are as frightening and violent for horses as they are for the humans who ride them.
Related Themes:
