Lincoln's Ethos In The Gettysburg Address

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On November 19th 1863 President Lincoln dedicated the battlefield of Gettysburg and gave his "Gettysburg address" speech. Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer and politician that became the president of the united states during the civil way. Lincoln gave his speech in front lots of Union soldiers that had just fought a battle. hundreds of thousands of people. Lincoln gave this speech to give hope to the soldiers, and to honor the dead, and to try to help end the civil war. Lincoln uses pathos in his speech to show the soldiers that their comrades died for a great purpose and that they need to continue fighting. Lincoln exclaims, "We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that …show more content…

Lincoln exclaims, " But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground" (2). Lincoln says this to show the people that dying in battle is one of the greatest honors, so much of an honor that Lincoln the president claims that he "cannot dedicate" the ground because the soldiers had a greater pride for their country. By doing this Lincoln is respecting the soldiers and is also showing to the soldiers that are alive that it is okay to die in battle because you will be a hero. The soldiers will fight harder and be less fearful because of the fact that they are serving their country and if they die they will serve their country in the best way. Lincoln also uses alliterations to make the deaths of the soldiers sound more heroic. Lincoln states, "It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced."(2). He use this alliteration to put an emphasis on how great they contributed to the nation and also that the living should honor their deaths by finishing their work, which is winning the war. Lincoln ultimately uses this device to boost the soldiers moral that just went through battle and lost many comrades and

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