Rhetoric: "The use of words by human agents to form attitudes or induce actions in other human agents....The use of language as a symbolic means of inducing cooperation in human beings that by nature respond to symbols." If Kenneth Burke is correct, then I would propose that speakers who use the technique of Rhetoric properly will thoroughly "induce" their listeners to action. Perhaps no other speech nor speaker eloquently used rhetoric, amongst other speaking techniques, to evict such emotion, persuasion, and call to action as the "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. However, his speech is not praised for mere rhetoric alone. King paints his speech with vivid " theme" words, quotations, and allusions leaving the listener with a striking and unifying message. It is 1963* and one of the most historic demonstrations for equality has just taken place. Martin Luther King Jr.'s setting is the memorial of the President who has defeated the Southern states and the issues of slavery once before. In the introduction, King effectively uses a play on words, "Five score years ago" to not only salute former President Lincoln's famous address and nod at the fact that one hundred years ago the blacks were promised to be free. He begins with a narration that reminds us of a "Great American" that signed the Emancipation Proclamation. At first, his tone describes happier times at the signing of the proclamation, but his tone quickly changes to a darker reality: almost one hundred years later, the blacks are still not free. A former Baptist minister, King recites his speech like a trained theologian in a style much like a sermon, pausing here and there for effect and poignancy. His pace is slow and timely in the beginning, but b... ... middle of paper ... ... how Martin Luther King Jr. vividly and lucidly adapts quotes from the Bible to move and sway his audience. He also uses several "theme" words over and over to leave the listener with a clear understanding of the underlying message. The most apparent theme is probably the phrase "I have a dream". By repeating "I have a dream", he emphasizes these words and makes them memorable to the listener. The first half of King's speech was in part, painting a n ugly picture of racial discrimination, and called the audience to action by refusing complacency, idleness, and aggression. The repetitive words are passionate and almost militant. But his tone in the latter half is more unifying, positive, and peaceful. He leaves his audience with an alternative future and ends with the hopeful Negro Spiritual, "Free at last, free at last, Thank God Almighty, We are free at last."
Martin Luther King, Jr., born on January 15, 1929, was well known for his nonviolent movement to bring justice and to an end to the segregation of the people in the United States back in the 1950s. With King being the leader of a peaceful protest, it failed to bring equally to the colored people. Martin Luther King, Jr. was labeled as an “outsider” who was “hatred and violence” and that his actions were “unwise and untimely” from the Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen (clergymen). In response, on the day of April 16, 1963, he wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail to declare and defense his movement was not “unwise and untimely” at all. To analyze his points, King used the powerful literary devices of pathos- use of an emotional appeal.ethos-
Dr. King’s speech starts off with a very strong and well calculated use of logos. He starts his speech with a historical background of African Americans situations in America. He enlightens the audience that 100 years earlier Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which gave all the slaves their freedom. Then after that statement he says that 100 years later African Americans are still not free. Yes, they are no longer sl...
The speaker is Martin Luther King Jr, an African American who had to deal with all the cruelty and unequalness that blacks were getting. The occasion is to get equal rights for everyone in America, no matter their race or gender. The audience that Martin was connecting to was people with authority that would change the conditions of their lives and hardships, but was also to everyone that would listen and would try to make a difference. The purpose for King writing this speech was to get equal rights and show people that everyone is the same. The subject of the speech is the rights of african americans and how they are the same as whites. The tone Martin has is determined and destined to get the outcome the way he wants it to
...pair”. (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 11). In the beginning of his speech he says “five score years ago,” which is in relation to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address’s opening, “four score and seven years ago.” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 2). He also uses the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as references. He says, “This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 4).
Dr. King first starts out all pumped up on a very light note. He is very optimistic about his speech in the very first line. However he bluntly addressed the issues of hardship, which African-Americans endured while America was beginning to become a stronger symbol of hope and freedom. He acknowledged the experience of wealth which his race became accustomed to, the ghetto poverty. He recognized the right of each color and pale man who contains the right to live, liberty, and the pursuit of true happiness. As bluntly as he began his speech, he boldly pointed out the Supreme Law of The Land- the Constitution - and quoted the Declaration of Independence as all.
King also makes a few allusions to the Bible; "Let us not seek to satisfy thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred," is the first allusion to the Bible in his speech.
From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial more than two score years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King electrified America with his momentous "I Have a Dream" speech. Aimed at the entire nation, King’s main purpose in this speech was to convince his audience to demand racial justice towards the mistreated African Americans and to stand up together for the rights afforded to all under the Constitution. To further convey this purpose more effectively, King cleverly makes use of the rhetorical devices — ethos, pathos and logos — using figurative language such as metaphors and repetition as well as various other techniques e.g. organization, parallel construction and choice of title.
On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to more than 200,000 people during the March on Washington. King's speech was one of the most influential during the era of the Civil Rights Movement and is to this day recognized as a masterpiece due to its effect on the audience as well as for its eloquence and language. Many components went into this passionate speech that portrayed King's hopes for racial equality and a brighter future made the speech as moving as it was. It is doubtful that any person can guess that this speech was written without forethought regarding what goals King wished to accomplish in this speech. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eloquent language was perfectly suited to his audience, both his immediate and secondary audience, and his carefully chosen diction helped to shape arguable one of the most touching works ever spoken.
Martin Luther King, Jr. achieved something similar in his speech “I Have A Dream”; however using repetition with several different words and phrases. While his audience was very clearly the African American population of America, MLK Jr. was able to use said repetition to make every reader feel as if they were right along side him in the fight for freedom. In paragraph 13, MLK Jr. repeated the ...
Martin Luther King, Jr. used a lot of rhetorical techniques in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to respond to the eight Clergymen who criticized his actions of no-violent demonstration in Birmingham calling “Unwise and untimely” (Dr. King 3) they said this about his actions. Also, Martin Luther King used a lot of Logos and ethos in his speech to persuade the reader.
Repetition is useful to show the audience the importance of the subject and the urgency to react. King’s historic speech in 1963 has held great symbolic value not only for the African Americans, but also for all of the equal rights supporters of every age and race. He was the first one who really fought for the same rights of African Americans and therefore inspired other people to live his dream and to continue his work for racial equality. Work Cited King, Martin Luther Jr. “I Have a Dream”.
"I Have a Dream: Martin Luther Kings’ Famous Speech turns 50." The Week. The Week Ltd,
On the day of his “I Have a Dream” speech, King stood upon the steps of the Lincoln Memorial located in the heart of our nation’s capital. This location was essential to King’s success because it was a symbol of our nation’s historic efforts to abolish the enslavement of African-Americans; an act which was made possible due to the valiant efforts of Abraham Lincoln. As the preponderance of the speech began, King made reference to the former president in what Peter Paris said was a “Declaration proclaimed to America on behalf of all African people”. King stated, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice” (I Have a Dream 2). Through these words, he was able to mimic the tone and style of Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address while also evoking remembrance of the nation’s harsh past. The signing of one such bill, the Emancipation Proclamation, was the first time in history that African-Americans were able to progress in the social order. King tied this into his argument by introducing the concept that other laws could be enacted in order to allow the African-American population to continue
King begins his speech by referencing important historical documents such as the Constitution of the United States and the Emancipation Proclamation. This is emphasized when he states, ”Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation...But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free”. Which shows how even though the Emancipation Proclamation freed the African Americans from slavery, they still are not free because of segregation. He then transitions to the injustice and suffering that the African Americans face. He makes this
The success of an effectively motivating public speech is no doubt the most undeniable way to persuade a mass of people. A person’s confidence, persona, and suave can carry a nation. The speeches of Brutus, Antony, and King all had some form of effectiveness, no matter how long or short. The power of public speaking is a manipulative tool that can be used for good or bad, but if the motivation is pure, anything is possible.