exigence

Exigence is a concept in rhetoric referring to a problem, need, or event that creates a pressure for discourse and motivates someone to speak, write, or act. It is the triggering condition that discourse is intended to address, rather than the topic itself.

In the most influential formulation, Lloyd Bitzer defines the rhetorical situation as comprising three elements: exigence, audience, and constraints. Exigence is the defect or obstacle that can be remedied by discourse; audience consists of those capable of being influenced and bringing about change; constraints are the beliefs, traditions, or limitations that shape what counts as acceptable responses.

In practice, identifying the exigence helps explain why a text was produced and what action it seeks to prompt. Exigence can be historical or immediate, and it is not identical to purpose or thesis; rather, it is the situation that renders discourse necessary.

Critics note that the model can oversimplify, assuming a single audience or a linear chain of influence. Some scholars refine the concept to account for multiple exigencies, evolving discourse, and the ethical dimensions of rhetorical intervention.

Outside classical rhetoric, the term is also used in literary and media analysis to describe the moment or pressure that prompts a work's creation.