pathos vs. ethos

pathos

[ pey-thos, -thohs, -thaws ]show ipa

noun

1. the quality or power in an actual life experience or in literature, music, speech, or other forms of expression, of evoking a feeling of pity, or of sympathetic and kindly sorrow or compassion.
2. pity.
3. suffering.

ethos

[ ee-thos, ee-thohs, eth-os, -ohs ]show ipa

noun

1. the fundamental character or spirit of a culture; the underlying sentiment that informs the beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society; dominant assumptions of a people or period: In the Greek ethos the individual was highly valued.
2. the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.
3. the moral element in dramatic literature that determines a character's action rather than their thought or emotion.