A Rhetorical Analysis Of Pericles Speech

Pericles, one of the more influential political figures in Athens at that time, makes a speech that acts as a eulogy to mourn and honor fallen soldiers who were killed in the first year of the Peloponnesian War. Instead of comforting the families of the dead, he uses his speech to increase support for Athens and their ongoing war with Sparta which he convinced them to fight in the first place.

To better understand his motives, we must conceive that he was the one who originally wanted war between the two city-states, so he, being human and wanting to be recognized and respected for knowing the right thing to do, obviously wants to have people continue to believe that what he says will help them succeed in the end. As a result, he is clearly putting down Sparta throughout the entire oration even if he does not explicitly say it. He does this by comparing all the good characteristics of Athens to the lesser ones of Sparta. We clearly see this when he continuously praises Athens for their unique democratic institutions saying, “Our constitution does

not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves” (Thucydides 112). He then continues to say that when a society puts equality before law they create a society which is morally strong, free, and law-abiding which is the opposite of what Sparta does. They use laws to unify their society to make it strong. He compares Athens to Sparta to raise support for Athens.
To raise support for the cause and wanting to preserve his reputation and good standing in the eyes of his fellow citizens he compliments Athens on various other attributes of their society.

One is how open they are. This allows for them to have a diverse population that relies on trust (Thucydides 113). Another is how the Athenian people “Cultivate refinement without extravagance and knowledge without effeminacy” (Thucydides 113). The people can appreciate beauty and art without that becoming all they are concerned with. They are wealthy but also generous. Finally, Pericles says that Athens is, “The school of Hellas” and that “[He doubts] if the world can produce a man, who where he has only himself to depend upon, is equal to so many emergencies, and graced by so happy a versatility as the Athenian” (Thucydides 114). He compliments them to make them feel better about themselves so they will continue to support the

war.
Ultimately, Pericles meant for his Funeral Oration to be more of a political speech rather than for it to comfort the mourning people. He successfully does this by verbally attacking Sparta’s government systems and building up Athens perception of themselves.