Rhetorical Analysis Of Patrick Henry

At a tense meeting in a church in Richmond, Virginia, away from the watchful eyes of Britain, Patrick Henry began to deliver a rousing speech to the Second Convention of Delegates. His passion was tangible to the audience as he called the delegates to action. His speech was memorable to everyone in the room and powerful in convincing the delegates to support the war. Little did he know that this speech would continue to be known for its power and persuasion for generations to come. Throughout Patrick Henry's speech, he emphasized the necessity to act against Britain and support the war, but he did so in a way that was unavoidably persuasive. Henry used emotional appeal, metaphors, and rhetorical questions in order to convince the delegates

Patrick Henry adresses the delegates at the Convention of Virginia (1776) in his speech titled, “Give me Liberty or Give me Death!” Henry develops his claim by speaking candidly with a dramatic tone. He strengthens his credibility through his use and application of a ceremonious diction, and his syntax perfectly fits the occasion. In the speech he hopes to induce delegates into seceding from Great Britain to take arms against the English.

Patrick Henry was born in virginia in 1736. He was a lawyer and a politician who encouraged the separation from great britain, by delivering the “Speech to the virginia convention” on March 23 1775, 3 week before the actual war. He was a powerful speaker whose words helped sweep the colonist towards their Declaration of Independence. Rhetorical devices and rhetorical appeals are ways that the writer draws you into the reading. By using ethos pathos and logos, the author finds ways to entregue everyone in different ways.

According to Patrick Henry, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Henry 7). Patrick Henry was able to give an outstanding speech at the Virginia Convention, regarding the actions needing to be taken by the colonists. This speech included the criticizing and denouncing of Great Britain, along with the urging of the colonists to fight for independence. This including that the colonists need to become prepared because the unjust actions of the British were not simply going to go away. Henry urges the colonists to fight for the freedom that they rightfully deserve, and he does it extremely well. In Patrick Henry’s ‘Speech to the Virginia Congress’, he demonstrates passionate pathos appeals and rhetorical questioning to persuade the colonists to stand up for themselves and join the fight for their freedom.

“GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!” Patrick Henry wrote this to convince his fellow men to take up arms and take action against the British before it was too late. Patrick Henry used an abundance rhetorical devices to convince the House of Burgesses to take up arms. He used rhetorical devices such as: biblical allusions, metaphors, repetition, logos, and others.

Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention” convinces Loyalists to wage war against Britain; he accomplishes this by using several rhetorical devices such as imagery, allusions, rhetorical questions, and diction. These devices are used to engage the listeners with descriptive images, get the listeners to think deeper, make connections to historical events, and use powerful words to emphasize certain claims.

Patrick Henry was an influential leader, from the 18th century, who delivered one of the most famous speeches in the United States. He was also a politician, with a strong sense of patriotism, leading to his support in the opposition of the British government. Before Independence Day, America was under the control of the British, and by 1774, the British Parliament started passing laws to tax colonists. However, Henry was remarkably against to the submission of British government. The patriot transformed the spirits of the colonists, and perhaps bringing America, itself, out of slavery through a speech, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.” This speech was given at the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. Henry’s speech played an important role for the War of Independence, as well as, finding one of the principals of which America is founded upon, freedom.

Emotional appeals were used in both Bush’s and Henry’s speeches. In Bush’s speech, he reminds his audience of when Iraq attacked America at a moment of vulnerability a year before his speech was given. This surprise attack was brought up several times in his speech because of the emotion brought forth remembering the thousands of American lives taken during the Iraqi attack on September 11th, 2001. During this time an emotional appeal that refers to a recent event will get a strong reaction from the audience. In Henry’s speech, pathos is used to elicit values of freedom. Henry induces fear of slavery and steps on his audience's masculinity by saying: “They [Great Britain] tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable adversary.” “ Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?” Therefore, Bush and Henry both utilize pathos in their speeches; Bush uses pathos in a repetitive way to remind his audience of the recent past attacks on America by the Iraqi regime and Henry exercises pathos to induce fear into his audience and elicits values of

America: “land of the free and home of the brave” (Key line 8). This statement would not exist without the important writers that built America’s foundation. The word courageous, however, does not just apply to physically fighting soldiers, but, for the people fighting mentally. The authors of the important documents, that helped lay a foundation for America, had a ton of courage to speak their mind. The authors: Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson, used rhetorical devices not only to prove to Britain that their colony was worth fighting for, but also to influence colonists to join the fight.

The speech was given at the Second Virginia Convention, which was held at which is now known as St. John's Episcopal Church in Richmond Virginia, on March 20, 1775. The purpose of the speech was to get everybody at the convention to take a stand against England for the unfairness that they had been put through, even though they went there to get away from this kind of treatment and it was getting too much to bare for anybody. I think that when Patrick Henry gave the speech ¨Give me liberty, or give me death¨, he was trying to get everyone to realize that there was no way they could sit and wait for things to get worse. He knew that they needed to stand up now and could not wait until they had nothing left to give.

The use of rhetorical analysis is very useful to make works appealing and contribute effectively to the author’s purpose. They are used in Patrick Henry’s extemporaneous speech “Give Me Liberty, or Give me Death.” Henry, a revolutionary leader, made this speech at the meeting of the Virginia convention on March 23, 1775. The purpose of this speech was to persuade the delegates of the convention and colonists to form a militia and start war against the British to declare independence. This speech Patrick Henry uses parallelism, pathos, and allusion to persuade the Virginia delegates to go to war against Britain.

Many men were pivotal to the American cause in the War for Independence, and one of the most influential was Patrick Henry. In his famous speech “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” Patrick Henry delivered a powerful speech through the manipulative use of language and word choice. On March 23, 1775, the third Virginia convention was held in St. John 's Church in Richmond. The convention was held to discuss relations with Great Britain. This was the place where Patrick Henry made his timeless speech "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!" to the House of Burgesses with the hope of freeing Virginia from British rule. He spoke with conviction and showed undeniable support for the fight against the English government. He used the appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos to instill fear and anger in his audience. He effectively used religion and evidence of British oppression to connect with his audience and help persuade opponents and supporters of the Revolution to unite and fight for American independence.

Throughout history, historical events have been relived and experienced by many in the present day through various scriptures and texts. From shocking testimonies, and inspirational speeches to intriguing journal entries, and questionable declarations, literature has allowed society, no matter the time, to go back and learn about past events that helped define the present society. Through these pieces of literature and their literary devices, readers are able to immerse themselves into the past by exposing themselves to historical figures’ persuasions and intentions through their creations. One of these pieces of literature that demonstrates these qualities is Patrick Henry’s Address to the Virginia Convention written in 1775. In Patrick Henry’s speech, he uses literary devices, such as diction, tone and syntax, to help the readers understand and relate to the author’s purpose in calling the Virginia Convention to action for one of the most historical moments in United Stated history, the American Revolution. The author uses these literary devices to persuade and encourage rebellious behavior in the audience, by creating a unifying, inspirational and rebellious tone to get them to support America’s impending fight for freedom, liberty and independence from British oppression.

People say that Patrick Henry should be considered one of the founding fathers because of one of his many great speeches to be more specific the speech he gave at the Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775. This speech is considered the most important speech he has given. After the speech events eventually took place that would lead to the American Revolution in this speech he used many rhetorical devices to win over his listeners

“Give me liberty or give me death!” This statement from Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” delivered to the House of Burgesses, has been quoted by many, becoming almost cliché. However, the declaration is truly understood by a select few. The unjust Stamp Act passed by the British crown in 1765, brought fame and notoriety to Henry as he spoke out against the unjust taxation without representation. Ten years later on the eve of revolution, Henry calls upon the Colonial government of which he is part, to act for the betterment of the people. Patrick Henry attempts to persuade the House of Burgesses to revolt and declare war against Britain by logically convincing them that it is their natural right to be free and calling on