“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
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
