“A house divided against itself cannot stand” and “I have one lap by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience” are two powerful metaphors from two powerful men in the history of America. However, I think what is more important to look at is the effect these powerful speeches had on their listeners. Abraham Lincoln’s “A House Divided”, was more impactful and clearer compared to Patrick Henry’s “Give me Liberty, or Give me Death” because of the use of different rhetorical appeals and his ability to paint an image that someone could imagine using figurative language.
Abraham Lincoln used a lot of metaphorical figurative language in his speech “A House Divided.” Abraham Lincoln talks about “A House Divided”, with the House representing the union. One statement he made during his speech was “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Another metaphor he used was “when we see a lot of framed timbers”, talking about the men before them building the house that is now divided. He uses metaphorical
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Abraham Lincoln uses personification by stating “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free." Patrick Henry uses a lot of rhetorical devices in his speech, such as allusions, metaphors, and analogies. Patrick Henry states in one allusion“ We are apt to shut our eyes against the painful truth and listen to the song of the siren till she transforms us into beasts.” Abraham Lincoln uses metaphors, similes, personification, and analogies to relate to his readers in a more visually. Abraham Lincoln quotes “a living dog is better than a dead lion.” This shows a visual that if a big, scary lion is dead, a small living dog will still be better than it because it is alive. You can see that visually. Abraham Lincoln made his points very clear and