hypokrisis

Hypokrisis is a term from ancient Greek rhetoric used to describe the performative aspect of public speaking and discourse. In its traditional sense, hypokrisis refers to how a speaker or actor adopts a persona, modulates voice and gesture, and conveys emotion in order to persuade or engage an audience. The concept emphasizes delivery as a distinct component of rhetorical effectiveness, alongside argument and ethos.

In classical literary and rhetorical discussions, hypokrisis was connected to the broader study of audience affect, pathos, and the artful presentation of speech. It encompassed both the skilled enactment of a role and the strategic management of emotional impression. Because it touches on feigning and personality presentation, the term has sometimes been linked, in later usage, to the idea of hypocrisy; however, it traditionally concerns performance and technique rather than moral judgment.

Today, hypokrisis is primarily of interest in historical studies of rhetoric, performance theory, and theatre, where scholars examine how ancient speakers used delivery to shape perception. It provides a lens for analyzing voice, gesture, timing, and emotion as engineered components of persuasive communication, rather than as incidental byproducts of rhetoric.

See also: hypocrisy, rhetoric, performativity, Greek rhetoric, mimesis.