How would life be in the United States of Great Britain? It would not be pleasant for sure, with a monarch who sits on a throne thousands of miles across the ocean that holds absolute sovereignty, while the citizens remain voiceless. Luckily, this is not the case. The way early American history unraveled was strongly influenced by Patrick Henry’s speech at the Virginia Convention. This speech was given in 1775 to the members of the convention with the aim of fighting for independence from Great Britain. Henry skillfully executes several rhetorical techniques, leading to the successful persuasion of the members of the convention.
Without the ability to connect with the audience, Henry’s oration would have lacked the substantial influence it had. Throughout the speech, he establishes an emotional connection with the audience. One way he did this was when he framed his speech as a polite rebuttal of his peers. Even when Henry speaks vehemently on the subject, he ensures that the audience recognizes he respects their opinions equally. This is seen in the beginning of the piece when he says “...different men often see the
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same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining, as I do, opinions of a character very opposite to theirs”. Additionally, Henry alludes to the Bible several times throughout his speech. At the time, an overwhelming majority of Americans believed in a sect of Christianity and actively read the Bible, which means they would relate and connect to the stories alluded to by Henry. For example, he explains how the British deserve no trust as it would eventually lead to “betrayal with a kiss”. In the Gospel of Luke, Judas, one of Jesus’ Apostles, betrayed Jesus by kissing Him, which signaled to the Romans that He was the person who they wanted to capture. As seen here, these commonly known Biblical allusions transform the speech into a conversation with the audience, where the issue is compared to something that the crowd can relate to spiritually. Overall, this ability to connect with an audience makes them feel appreciated, therefore feeling a bond with the speaker. The ability to emphasize key points while speaking is an equally necessary persuasive tool. Henry asks a plethora of rhetorical questions, questions which are not supposed to be answered, which is one technique he utilized to emphasize points in his speech. When people hear questions, they intuitively develop an answer in their heads. This process is what makes the rhetorical question successful in emphasising ideas: it requires the audience to actively process the information, compared to merely passively listening. For example, Henry rhetorically asks, “But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year?” These questions emphasize how the colonies need to unify for strength. Moreover, Henry’s hyperboles, substantially exaggerated ideas and observations, successfully guide the audience to the noteworthy ideas. Simply put, people easily remember concepts that are profound. Exaggerated ideas stand out from the rest of the speech, and therefore the audience can easily distinguish the major points from the minutiae of the presentation. For example, Henry states “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanging may be heard on the plains of Boston!” In this scene, Henry describes the British oppression as making the Americans slaves. However, this is clearly not the case - the most controversial British action was taxation without representation. All-in-all, the ability to emphasize points is essential to creating the major ideas that the audience is supposed to walk away with from the speech. Ultimately, Patrick Henry’s speech at the Virginia Convention has had a significant impact on American history.
Without it, the colonies would not have unified sufficiently to fight Britain. There would have been a United States of Great Britain instead of the United States of America! Henry’s successful ability to persuade the audience was why his speech lives on as the epitome of persuasive writing. As seen throughout the oration, he creates an emotional bond with the crowd and isolates the key points that the audience should remember. His work exemplifies the everlasting importance of rhetoric. The art of persuasion, developed since Ancient Greek times, is a valuable skill that can catalyze advancement in the workforce, which is why it has such a profound historical importance. As the saying goes, “It's not what you say, but how you say
it.”
Patrick Henry’s effective diction emphasizes how much the British had suppressed the colonists and that it was time to fight for their freedom. Henry displays this through his strong use of pathos, logos, and ethos. His rhetorical questions really appeal to the logic and ethics of the colonists and leaves the no choice but to join him and rebel.
Patrick Henry's "Speech in the Virginia Convention" was a powerful argument for American Independence. This was an example of an oratory approach. Henry used political views to help in his persuasion. Unlike Jonathan Edwards, Henry did not use the approach of scare tactics, but rather the approach to reason and logic. Both of the renowned speakers used strong feelings in their persuasive speeches. They also used Biblical illusions to strengthen their points. The two speakers both had to gain the attention of the audience. The speakers also gained their attention through the fact that they held high social and political level positions.
At the Virginia convention in 1775 Patrick Henry spoke out anonymously about standing up to the British monarchy and gaining independence. His simple use of language and emotionally captivating passages inspired many to fight for a republic. Persuading the devout and loyal colonies to pull away from their mother country took courage.
The first appeal that Henry uses in his speech is ethos which appeals to ethics. Evidence from the text is, “fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country” (lines 13-14). This shoes that God has credibility. It also shows that you need to respect God over Britain. The next piece of evidence that I found in the speech is whenever the text said, “…and of an act of disloyalty towards the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings” (lines 16-17). This is saying that you should respect God above man. That is two ways how Henry used the ethical appeal, ethos.
There are few speeches in the American history that compel us towards great acts of patriotism. Patrick Henry's speech in the Virginia Provincial Convention of 1775 is a prime example of one of these great speeches. During the debates on whether or not to compromise with Great Britain, Patrick Henry proposed the idea to his fellow members of the First Continental Congress to declare war on Great Britain. A reason why the speech was so powerful was the rhetorical strategies of the diction of slavery, the appeal to God, and the appeal to logic, that he deftly employed.
Many speeches have shaped the nation we live in today. Patrick Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention” and Benjamin Franklin’s “Speech in the Convention” are two of the most prominent speeches that have assisted in the forging of our new nation. The “Speech in the Virginia Convention” serves to encourage those that listened to take arms against the British and fight the injustice being done to them. The “Speech in the Convention” admits to the imperfections of the Constitution but supports its ultimate purpose. Both Patrick Henry and Benjamin Franklin believe leaders must do away with compromise and lead when it’s best for the people as a whole. However, Patrick discourages any future compromise, while Benjamin Franklin feels that future
“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” This mantra from Margaret Mead is a somewhat humorous yet slightly satirical spin on how people tend to think of themselves as one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable human specimens. However, one English teacher from Wellesley High School takes this critique one step further with his polemic presentation at the school commencement. David McCullough, a Massachusetts English teacher, gave a seemingly somber sendoff to his graduates in 2012, with a speech that contained some unapologetically harsh sentiments. However, by looking past the outwardly dismal surface of the speech, the students can infer a more optimistic message. By incorporating devices of asyndeton, paradox, antimetabole, and anadiplosis, McCullough conveys to each student that even though none of them is unique, their commonality is not a fault they all have merit and should strive to view the world through a more selfless lens.
The word “persuasion” can be defined as a form of discourse that uses logical and emotional appeals to convince the audience to think or act in a certain way. This type of technique is used throughout the speeches of Jonathan Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention.” The similarities and differences between the two speeches can be seen through the main idea, the purpose of each speech, and the author’s use of literary elements.
Patrick Henry's Famous Speech Give me liberty or give me death. These famous words were uttered by Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775, as a conclusion to his speech delivered to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Within his speech, he uses the three rhetorical appeals (ethos, logos, and pathos) to convey a feeling of urgency toward the changes occurring in policy within the Americas implemented by the British government. He cleverly uses these appeals to disrupt the paradigm that Great Britain is going to let the American people have any liberty. The purpose of this speech is to gain support for a freedom movement from the British government.
Mark Twain told us in his speech on October 17, 1907 "We build a fire in a powder magazine, then double the fire department to put it out. We inflame wild beasts with the smell of blood, and then innocently wonder at the wave of brutal appetite that sweeps the land as a consequence." Twain’s word convey the fact that as society we build an environment that enrages these wild or “insane” people then we call To fix the people that we have made into a certain way……... Twain's quote both ties into gun violence and us as Americans it's our responsibility to look out for one another be each others backbones and hold each other up when times are hard.
Patrick Henry utilizes logos, repetition and allusions to convince his audience that they should engage in war in his “Speech in the Virginia Convention”.
Now why did Henry do this exactly? The reason why Henry used rhetorical questions is because he is expecting his wealthy crowd to know the answer to these solvable questions. To that, Henry asked his gilded congressmen “And what have we to oppose them? Shall we try argument?... Have we anything new to offer on the subject?”(Henry 5) Henry knows that his audience are gullible to this, they know if they are to argue they will just repeat what they've tried to do for the past ten years in which has brought them nowhere and they the congressmen have nothing more to offer, which is very ironic because they are very wealthy indeed. To extend Henry uses these rhetorical questions as a way to persuade the congressmen into rethinking their opinions because Henry sure is making his point yet again justifiable to theirs. Although Henry is the king for using so many rhetorical questions, he is still not the only one that made his inquisitions persuade his Audience. King as well put up his own fight with using his slick smooth rhetorical questions. As Henry questioned his audience to review their opinions into making them believe his was more defendable than theirs, King as well did the same. With that King commenced by asking his prosecutors mostly “When will you be satisfied? We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of brutality.”(King, 9) Although King isn't just questioning his foes but he is also answering them by saying that they will never be satisfied as long as this brutality continues to happen between the Negroes. Moreover by King answering this simple rhetorical question King is opening a gate between his defendants old opinion and into their new and sympathetic judgment. King then touches his audience or amassed opponents by using this pitiful and real inquiry to the point
Patrick Henry exceedingly uses persuasion in “Speech to the Virginia Convention”. When he states “Give me liberty or give me death” this shows that during his time he was willing to die in order to receive liberty. In the 18th century it was the age of reason which focused more on science and reason rather than religion, however the people still believed in a God. Progress was an important concept at the time. Henry wanted people for the war to fight against Britain. In order to get this out there he wrote the speech. Henry used pathos as the strongest persuasion technique. He uses pathos making the audience of the speech feel more passionate and connected to the cause.
He understood he could not just reach the feelings of the audience by listing worldly privileges that may be lost.... ... middle of paper ... ... In Henry’s case, his speech, which was more serious than war, had to be handled with care and acknowledgement of the audience’s feelings.
“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. ” says American Baptist minister and African-American Civil Rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I feel as though this line still gives hope to anyone being judged for that which they cannot change. He wants us to focus more on the internal in the place of superficial things. Using anaphora, dramatic tone, and an appeal to authority, Dr. King encourages each of his listeners to fight for their equality during the times of tribulation for African Americans within the United States.