Rhetorical Device – Rhetorical Question

Definition

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked with no intention of receiving a proper answer in return.


Why is it useful?

As a rhetorical device, this can be used in a number of circumstances and is normally used to provide an effect. It’s not used to get an answer from the listener but is more for the listener to think about what the question is implying more than anything.

My Examples

Example 1

Mom to her son – “How many times must I tell you to clean your room”

The mother doesn’t actually want her son to tell her how many times she must ask him but she wants him to think about what she is implying about the son having to clean his room.

Example 2

Person B to Person A – “I don’t understand what you mean”

Person A to Person B – “Are you stupid?”

Person A really doesn’t want an answer from person B but they are implying that what they were saying wasn’t really a hard concept to grasp so person B should have no problems understanding.

Public Example

Mark Antony - "Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?"

This is a quote from Shakespears "Julius Ceasar" where Mark Antony doesnt want to know when another great ceaser will rule he is simply implying how great the current ceaser is.