Funeral Oration: A Powerful Speech

A Powerful Speech

Both speeches has the basic idea of a “government of the people.” In Abraham Lincoln’s speech titled “Gettysburg Address,” he tells his audience that the government should be “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Likewise, in the speech addressed as “Funeral Oration,” Pericles, a Greek political leader in the B.C. period, states, “Our constitution is called a democracy, because power rests in the hands not of the few but of the many.” Both leaders clearly know the characteristics of a traditional democracy. Despite Lincoln’s speech possibly being the most famous speech in America, Pericles’ speech has the most irresistible effect because it includes a detailed sequence of how the citizens of a democratic country

Lincoln repeats his statement of equality when he states, “This nation-- under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.” He explains that the only reason for their civil war is freedom and equality for all, which is his only point throughout his entire public statement. He adopted a general idea that the citizens should be more grateful for their freedom as a way to honor the fallen, but gives no other explanation or examples of a successful democracy. On the other hand, in “Funeral Oration,” Pericles presents his ideas of how, as citizens of a democratic country, his citizens should behave, therefore, adding more detail and clarifying his meaning; he declares, “We decide or debate, carefully and in person all matters of policy, and we hold, not that words and deeds go ill together, but that acts are foredoomed to failure when undertaken undiscussed.” Pericles tells his people this so they know that in order for a democracy to flourish, all laws must be discussed among them, if not, uncongenial policies could cause the nation to fall. He ends his speech by saying that the people should appreciate their liberty and use it to help