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A Rhetorical Analysis Of King George Vi's Speech

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Most have seen the 2010 film, The King’s Speech, known for it’s numerous incidents preceding King George VI’s first wartime broadcast. Many knew of his anxiety and shame surrounding his speech impediment and usurping of the throne; however, this representation of historical rhetoric goes beyond another Colin Firth film. On September 3, 1939, King George VI of the United Kingdom gave an address to the nation and its citizen’s, describing the unfortunate involvement of it’s people in another war and why the nation was in such a state. Through the use of logical reasoning, identifying his position among his people, and handling his speech deficiency efficiently, King George VI appeals to the ethos, pathos, and logos of his subjects, successfully …show more content…

He embraces and calls upon his subjects’ sense of duty; whether it may be a basis in political, religious, or civic motivations through his arguments. In the declaration, King George VI reminds the people that multiple diplomatic actions have been attempted, but have continuously failed against their newfound enemies. To instigate direct action through favorable arguments, he states, “over and over again we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies. But it has been in vain. We have been forced into a conflict.” By pointing out past confrontations in an accurate manner, King George VI appeals to the people’s logos. If the reasoning behind his actions can be seen by his subjects, they will feel predisposed to put him in their favor and support the war effort. At the start of his reign, King George VI was doubted by many of his people, so he needed this speech to succeed to win them over. In order to achieve this, he epitomized the role of a compassionate leader during a somber time in trying to connect with his

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