The year is 1940, World War II is in full swing, and Great Britain is struggling against the power of Nazi Germany. In these trying time the entire country looked to their leader, the recently appointed Prime Minister Winston Churchill, for guidance and hope. In his famous speech, Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat, Winston Churchill effectively rallies his nation, readying them for war, through the use of ethos, pathos, and rhetorical devices. He begins by establishing himself as a prominent figure, worthy of respect, but not so far above that he cannot relate to the ordinary peoples of Britain. Churchill states that he is “submitting a further list [of principal ministers] to His Majesty that night”, showing off his power in their society …show more content…
By playing on the fear and patriotism of his audience, pathos is also utilized in the most effective of ways. In wartime, pride in one’s home is essential, and Winston makes sure to capitalize on this by instating a sense of importance within his listeners. In his speech he says that if they fail there will be “no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for”. Churchill knows that if Britain is to be victorious, they must understand the gravity of the situation at hand, and feel they have the ability to sway the tide of the war with their own power. In later saying that Great Britain is “ in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest battles in history” and that across their country “the air battle is continuous and that many preparations have to be made here at home” he plays at the spark of fear that has no doubt taken shelter in the hearts of those who’re listening. The audience then, in theory, will want to rise above the struggle and conquer their fear. Winston knows this, and offers them a means to an end by stating his own feelings by optimistically saying, "Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.” Instilling a sense of brotherhood and a positive, we-can-do-it