Lincoln's Speech Living God
In the closing months of the Civil War, and in his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln speaks upon important matters at the time. These matters being about slavery and politics. He wanted to express his thoughts on the ongoing Civil War and his hopes for creating a better future. In order to achieve his purpose, Abraham Lincoln utilizes sophisticated diction, irony, and pathos. Abraham Lincoln uses sophisticated diction in order to express his thoughts on the Civil War and his hopes for creating a better future.
Audiences are not only regretful they have offended God but Lincoln has also lifted some of the blame from both sides. Now, the American public are thinking that perhaps this war was not caused by them but given to them. Using this logic, Lincoln eases the anger from both North and South, having audiences reflect upon what they have done in allowing slavery over the course of American history thus far, instead of looking at each other for accusations. Lincoln furthers alleviates conflict as he closes his allusion to the Bible with a second quote that almost defends the war as he claims “the judgements of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether.” Through use of this quotation, Lincoln asserts that the Civil War was a judgement by God, therefore true and righteous, leaving the American public with no other logical choice than to accept this war as a necessary reality.
Four years prior to his second Inaugural Address, President Lincoln had given a speech about war, “an impending civil war.” Now, after four years of such conflict, the President is issuing a speech of reconciliation, trying to convince his people to come back together with their Southern brethren, and try and heal the grievously wounded nation. A gifted rhetorician, the President used three primary literary tool s to make his point: parallel structure to illustrate similarities between Northerner and Southerner, allusions to the Bible to highlight the Christian values so important to both, and personification to paint the war as an evil enemy, and the nation as a wounded friend. In the second paragraph, Lincoln concludes with the parallel statements “one… would make war rather than let the nation survive… the other would accept war rather than let it parish, and the war came.”
I believe I have no lawful right to do so...” He then goes on to state in his Gettysburg address “... that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.” and “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Showing that he sees the wrong in slavery and changes his views towards it. Lincoln planned to treat the South fairly and with respect with his plan of
Lincoln's uses rhetorical strategy throughout his Second Inaugural Address was the use of an appeal to his audience's emotions. This is evident during his entire speech Lincoln continuously revert to religious evidence of some sort to support his claim. He says that although it may seem absurd for slavery's proponents to be allowed to pray to God, that his audience and he should “judge not that [they] be not judged,” alluding to the Lord's Prayer and appealing to his audience's Christian beliefs. He continues religion when talking about the Christians, he states, “Fondly do [they] hope, fervently do
The parallel structure underlined what his objectives were for the country. For instance, he says, "to bind up the nation's wounds...to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. " Lincoln's main objective was to try to leave the Civil War in the past, so they could build a promising future together as a nation. Another case of allusion was toward the start of the address when Lincoln stated, “All dreaded it, all sought to avert it.” He said “all” referring to both the North and South so they could stop fighting and work together to build a stronger
Lincoln had an approach before the war, between the Union and Confederates, to try to calm down the seceding states and bring them back to the Union. He spoke of how "the property, peace and security of no section are to be in anywise endangered by the now incoming Administration", which at the time seemed valid. He was working his best to avoid war, and seemed to make statements that would work, and had faith that the war was preventable. In Lincoln's Second Inaugural he mentioned how "both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came" which is saying war was unavoidable. During his early presidency he seemed to firmly believe no war was an option, later while the war raged on, Lincoln admits war was unavoidable, which is a huge change for him considering how confident he seemed before the war, laying out how he wasn't a threat, he was to only uphold the
Lincoln believed he was an instrument of God, and through Him he was able to usher in a new birth of freedom for the Union once the war had finally concluded. He believed his presidency was divinely connected with God through his solemn oath in heaven, which he vowed to protect the Union, American people, and Constitution. Lincoln argued that extinguishing slavery was neither his first aim nor primary duty, but rather saving the Union was. Lincoln simultaneously attempted to fulfill his personal wish of emancipating slaves through any constitutional means. Arguably only a statesman is able to combine his personal wishes, constitutional duty, and the circumstances of the moment in a single document.
So Lincoln was not fighting for the African Americans out of desire for equality but rather for war purposes. Lincoln was torn between the North and South and issued the Emancipation Proclamation to gain more control. In his book, There Is a River: The Black Struggle for Freedom in America, Harding mentions God a number of times. Many African Americans were extraordinarily strong in their faith and looked to their God for help.
The Civil War was a time period of social, political, and economic tensions. The North and South fought to decide whether to stop or continue slavery. Abraham Lincoln, the then president, addresses the two crowds before and after the war; however, in the second address, after the war, he uses specific literary devices to convey his message, of the need to end slavery. Abraham Lincoln uses varied sentence structure and appeals, in his succinct Second Inaugural Speech, to try to bring back harmony in the states and the abolitionment of slavery. Abraham Lincoln uses varied sentence structure to emphasize his message of harmony and abolition of slavery.
On paragraph 7 It says “However, Lincoln continues, God may want the war to continue until all the wealth earned from 250 years of slavery is drained. And he may want the war to continue until every drop of blood drawn from an enslaved person is paid for with a drop of soldier’s blood. Even if this is true, Lincoln says, God is still as just and righteous as he’s ever been. Lincoln then concludes with a call to peace.” Lincoln just wanted peace for everyone.
Prior to my post-secondary education, I have not learned about the purpose and meaning of the “Gettysburg Address.” The purpose was to honor those who died and to set a goal where we become a successful democratic nation from the sacrifices that were made through the Civil War. However, the meaning behind Lincoln’s words are debated as some people believe that there are religious references and others believe there is not. “Biblical Language and Themes in Lincolns Gettysburg Address,” by Daniel L.Dreisbach, and “Revisiting the Gettysburg Address,” by Gary W. Gallagher, are different as “Biblical Language and Themes in Lincolns Gettysburg Address” notes the biblical references Lincoln uses so that the audience can understand the importance of those who died on this battlefield, while “Revisiting the Gettysburg Address,” explains that Lincoln encouraged unity amongst the people to become a successful democratic nation, they are also similar as they both discuss the meaning behind the “Gettysburg Address”, and discuss the significance of the speech regarding the nation and its’ people.
The war was unavoidable, the South needed slaves and the North didn’t do much to stop it. Lincoln mentions “One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves” he also mentions that the slaves localized in the southern states. Lincoln puts this in his speech to help people understand how the “interest of the salves somehow caused the war.” One of them would make war rather than unite and prestige embracing each other. Lincoln knew he was not powerful enough to change the fate of the nation so he bestowed the power to God.
This is evident in his Second Inaugural Address when he says, “If we shall suppose that American Slavery is one of those offences which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South, this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offence came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a Living God always ascribe to Him?” (Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address). He ends believing that the war was God’s punishment for America, both the north and south, for slavery. Lincoln chose his sentences extremely carefully as he refuses to mention or predict and end to the war because he believes that by continuing it until God decides it’s over, America will eventually sew itself back up. “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis The purpose of this speech is detailed in the time period. This speech was written/spoken at the end of the American Civil war. It is President Lincoln’s way of putting a tentative end to the war and a start to the recovery period. He is still oppressing the south in his diction when he states “Both parties deprecated war: but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish.
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