“Nessun Dorma” Aria by Giacomo Puccini Rhetorical Analysis
In “Nessun Dorma” the writer argues that Caluf will be victorious at winning the Princess
Turandot. In this song, Calaf, the Unknown Prince falls in love with Turandot, the princess.
Princess Turandot requires any man who wants to marry her to correctly answer her three
riddles, and if he cannot, he will be beheaded. "Nussum Dorma" is a victory song, an expression
of confidence that Calaf will win Princess Turandot. Before this song is sung, Calaf has already
correctly answered all the princess's riddles and offers her a challenge, to guess his name before
sunrise. If she cannot do this, she will marry him, but if she can Calaf will be executed. Princess
Turandot declares that no one shall sleep until his name is discovered.
The writer uses Logos when he says, "My name no one will know," which is crucial
because the princess decreed that "None shall sleep," until the name of the Unknown Prince is
discovered. When he says this, he says that he is the only one who will reveal his secret. He is
the Unknown Prince who correctly answers the Princess's riddles and brings a challenge, if she
cannot figure out his name before dawn, she marries him. Though it is an appeal to logos in a
way, it is a weak one because he does nothing more than merely state the fact that no one will
know his name without any evidence in the aria itself. "Nessun Dorma" hardly appeals to logos
because it is missing a vital component, evidence. I do believe that some evidence may be
found in the rest of the opera. However, this aria lacks evidence in and of itself that Caluf will be
victorious!
Ethos is more present within the context of the aria than it is in the lyrics of the song.
The fact that Calaf has already correctly answered all three of the princess's riddles adds
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller racheldebner. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.