What Are The Rhetorical Devices In Patrick Henry's Speech

During the mid 1700’s the new found America was struggling for independence from the British. This undetermined notion whether or not to declare war led to the Virginia Convention where, Governor Patrick Henry enforced our nation to engage in war. “Patrick Henry’s Speech in the Virginia Convention” emphasizes the importance of fighting for independence for the American nation, because we shouldn't be treated like slaves of the British. He persuades them to join the war effort enforcing a sense of patriotism to the members by using the rhetorical appeals of parallelism and repetition.
Throughout the speech Patrick Henry uses parallelism to acquire the support from the Americans to join the war effort. He believes that they have done the best of their ability to prevent the war and explains that "We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne." He uses this to describe the effort that was used to prevent the war, but which in the end failed. He says that “there is no longer any room for hope” and truly believes that America has done all it could to be in peace with the British. He proceeded to say that “Our petitions have been slighted; our

remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded.” He continues to explain that “if we wish to be free...we must fight I repeat it, we must fight.” Henry strongly encourages that America should fight against the British by enforcing anger towards them in the eyes of the citizens. Henry concluded by forbidding the British to take advantage and treat the Americans like slaves, he says “ give me liberty or give me death.” This is used so powerfully to enforce that Patrick Henry would not let the British abuse the American colonies, to which he is willing to whatever it takes to protect them, even if that means death.
Patrick Henry continues to persuade the people of the American nation by using repetition to reiterate the importance of going to war and fighting for our freedom.

He triggers the feeling of patriotism while convincing them that "The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come." He believes that there is nothing that should stop the war from starting because we should be fighting for our our independence and our freedom from the British. He continues to say that “we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!” Emphasizing the fact that the nation as a whole should fight against the British for our freedom because there is no other way to gain our independence. To continue as an independent nation we had to unite and fight against the

British.
Patrick Henry uses many rhetorical strategies to convey his message of inducing the fact that the people of the American nation should be fight against the British for freedom. He uses Parallelism and repetition to put emphasis on fighting for independence and to do whatever it takes to go to war and fight against the British together as a union.