The Coquette: Pathos 1 key example

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
Letter LXVII. to the same.
Explanation and Analysis—Mrs. Wharton's Speech:

At the end of the novel, Eliza decides to run away from home out of shame over her illegitimate pregnancy, leaving behind a letter explaining the situation to her mother. Describing Mrs. Foster's discovery of the letter, Foster uses dramatic language that appeals to the reader's feelings, making the scene a good example of pathos. When Mrs. Wharton first reads the letter, she exclaims,

[...] dear, very dear hast thou been to my fond heart! Little did I think it possible for you to prepare so dreadful a cup of sorrow for your widowed mother!