Rhetorical question
Literary term · say it rih-TOR-ih-kuhl KWES-chuhn
A rhetorical question is a question asked to make a point rather than get an answer. It can suggest that an answer is obvious, challenge someone’s beliefs, or express a strong feeling.
Two ways a rhetorical question works
Persuading an audience
A speaker asks a question whose expected answer supports an argument. The question invites listeners to reach the speaker’s conclusion themselves.
In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock asks whether Jewish people have the same bodies, feelings, and responses to injury as Christians. His questions challenge the claim that the two groups are fundamentally different.
In The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Expressing strong feeling
A question can express distress, anger, or wonder without asking anyone to reply. Its force comes from the feeling behind it.
In Hamlet, Hamlet asks who would endure life’s suffering if death did not bring fear of the unknown. The question expresses his distress while helping him explore why people keep living.
In Hamlet by William Shakespeare
How to spot a rhetorical question
- Find a question and check whether anyone is expected to answer.
- Look for an answer that the speaker treats as obvious.
- Ask what point or feeling the question conveys.
What is the difference between a rhetorical question and an ordinary question?
An ordinary question seeks information, while a rhetorical question mainly makes a point or expresses a feeling. Context matters: the same words can serve either purpose, depending on what the speaker already knows and whether a reply is expected.
Can a rhetorical question have an answer?
Yes, a rhetorical question can have an obvious or implied answer. What makes it rhetorical is its purpose, not the absence of an answer. A speaker may even answer the question straight away to guide the audience through an argument.
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