---
title: "Rhetorical questiоn"
description: "The rhetorical questiоn is a special syntactical stylistic device the essence of which consists in r..."
author: "aixiahtic"
published: "2012-04-08T01:48:56+00:00"
modified: "2012-04-08T01:48:56+00:00"
locale: "ru"
canonical_url: "https://yvision.kz/post/rhetorical-question-246003"
markdown_url: "https://yvision.kz/post/rhetorical-question-246003/markdown"
site_name: "Yvision.kz"
---

# Rhetorical questiоn

> The rhetorical questiоn is a special syntactical stylistic device the essence of which consists in r...

The rhetorical questiоn is a special syntactical stylistic device the essence of which consists in reshaping the grammatical meaning of the interrogative sentence. In other words, the question is no" longer a question but a statement expressed in the form of an interroga­tive sentence. Thus there is an interplay of two structural meanings: 1) that of the question and 2) that of the statement (either affirmative or negative). Both are materialized simultaneously. For example:

"Are these the remedies for a starving and desperate populace?" "Is there not blood enough upon your penal code, that more must be poured forth to ascend to heaven and testify against you? (Byron)

One can agree with Prof. Popov who states: "...the rhetorical question is equal to a categorical pronouncement plus an exclamation." Indeed, if we compare a pronouncement expressed as a statement with the same pronouncement expressed as a rhetorical question by means of transforma­tional analysis, we will find ourselves compelled to assert that the interrog­ative form makes the pronouncement still more categorical, in that it excludes any interpretation beyond that contained in the rhetorical question.

From the examples given above, we can see that rhetorical ques­tions are generally structurally embodied in complex sentences with the subordinate clause containing the pronouncement. Here is another example:

Shall the sons of Chimari, who never forgive the fault of a friend, bid an enemy live? (Вуron)

(From Galperin’s “Stylistics”)

Other examples of rhetorical questions from Shakespeare's works:

![Rhetorical questiоn](http://assets.flavorwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/shakespeare.jpeg)

- "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" - From Shakespeare's Sonnet No.18.

- If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?

- From 'The Merchant of Venice' by Shakespeare.

- Mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?

- From 'Julius Caesar' by Shakespeare.

- Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?

- From 'Julius Caesar' by Shakespeare.

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Source: [https://yvision.kz/post/rhetorical-question-246003](https://yvision.kz/post/rhetorical-question-246003)