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Patrick Henry's Speech Rhetorical Analysis

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In the 1700’s the British ruled the 13 colonies and the people of the colonies were in unrest by the British but no one wanted to take action in fear of the British. At the Virginia Convention, on 20 March 1775, great minds of the colony were deciding whether to take action. Patrick Henry persuaded the people of the Virginia Convention to take up arms and fight against the British to win their freedom and independence. He showed how powerful Pathos was by using it in his speech to heavily sway the hearts and minds of the members which persuaded them to fight against the British. “It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth and listen to the song of that siren” (Henry 102) Henry uses pathos,saying this to the members to changes their mind on what they see. The people who think peace instead of war is the way are seeing what they think is hope,changing their feeling to happiness if they stay to the path of peace. Henry says the it is only an illusion,trying to make them doubt that peace is the right way because the illusion is not real,and these people do not want to open their eyes and see the “painful truth” that they refuse to look at. He says the british are …show more content…

Trust it not,sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss.” (Henry 102) Henry uses pathos,using words that have a deep meaning such as “insidious” and “kiss”. The insidious smile makes it seem like the no matter what you do to try to change the British minds such as with the petition, they will always find a loophole or by pass it to continue to have full control over the colonies. They also will make everything seem like it will be better in the future by “giving the colonies a kiss”, but they will be betrayed and be oppressed once the British have full control of the colonies,and by then,it may be too late to

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He tells the colonists that the British Parliament usually responds to the “gracious reception of [their] petition comforts with [] war-like preparations.” Henry contrasts the colonists’ petition to the British’s warmongering. Henry’s antithesis makes the colonists recognize the difference between their polite approach and the British's aggressive response. Therefore, he gives the colonists more reasons to question the negative actions being enacted by the British. He highlights Britain’s inability to compromise since they respond to any threats with violence.

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When he says “We are abt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren.” This is an allusion to the greek myth in which a seductive sea creature known as a siren lure sailors in using their voice to turn men into pigs. It 's comparing how the British are giving the colonies false hope just like sirens do by luring them to her island, giving them false hope in which she turns them into pigs. This affects the speech´s audience by the author referring to a specific event that relates to the argument he is trying to

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Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston!” Henry appeals to pathos here because he emotionally describes how there is no other choice but to go to war and fight the British. He feels retreating to the British would only result in slavery, and not grant the colonies their freedom. He uses an onomatopoeia to create imagery to the people as if they are locked up, and he lets them know just how great and negative impact a retreat would have on the colonies, thus creating an emotional appeal.

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The implication is that the people are being ruled. Henry used his skills in speech to persuade the Council or Parliament that trying to rule over others was wrong. He spoke out against the way things had always been done and

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On March 23, 1775, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” was heard all throughout St. John 's Church. These famous words were not only a great speaker looking to have his voice heard, but they would have an everlasting impact on young English students studying the use of ethos, logos, and pathos. Patrick Henry also used figurative languages such as allusions, parallelism, and biblical references to bring his speech to life. In this specific piece of literature, qualities like independence and individualism are exceedingly prominent, this all being due to Henry’s use of literary devices. Conversely, in the very first sentence, Henry uses ethos to articulate how he is patriotic to his home, but he occupies diverse views than his audience, the Virginia

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Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication?" He's making them think about everything they've done in the past that hasn't worked. Another example of logos is "Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrance have produced additional violence insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. There is no longer any room for hope. " Henry is telling us that the British have been unresponsive to anything but armed resistance.

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His choice of language is effective at evoking emotion. Through rhetorical questions, Henry was able to emphasize his points, and grab the audience’s attention, creating an emotional effect on the listeners. “Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?” These statements prove the speaker’s argument and stir the audience’s emotions.

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To begin with, Patrick henry uses pathos to appeal to the audience's emotions, and feelings of going to war with Britain. For example, he says "i consider it nothing less than a question of freedom and slavery." He connects with the emotions and thoughts of being a slave. The audience doesn't agree with his decision, even though he does appeal to the

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In the “Speech to the Virginia Convention” given by Patrick Henry to the President in 1775, asserts that the colonists should not be trying to negotiate with the British. His purpose was to convince the audience that they should not be trying to befriend the people of Great Britain rather that they should make Great Britain their foe. Henry uses his speech to appeal to both the President and the colonist through the use of figurative language, tone, and syntax. Patrick Henry’s use of diction, a persuasive and forceful tone, appeal to ethos and pathos, as well as various syntactical elements in his “Speech to the Virginia Convention” shows that the colonists should be fighting to break away from the British monarchy rather than negotiate terms to try and stay under their clutches.

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Drawing upon his established ethos, Henry alludes to the Bible, implying that if the Convention ignored him they would face destruction. Henry develops this idea of destruction throughout his speech, creating an emotional sense of fear and urgency around his argument with words such as “snare,” “war and subjugation,” “chains,” and “tyrannical.” Despite this heavy pathos throughout his speech, Henry also incudes logic, speaking of how he must judge the future by the past, and for that reason can only find proof that Britain will continue to mistreat the Colonies. He additionally utilizes logos through recounting all the acts they have tried so far, which had all been in vain, as well as through a series of “if… then” statements, such as “if we wish to be free… [then] we must

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“ They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger?” this statement weakens the spirits within the colonist due to the intolerable acts. Although Britain thought the act would help them strengthen it was undermined by the presence of increasing the military activities. According to henry no matter what happens the war will come, “ The war is inevitable and let it come!

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