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Patrick Henry Rhetorical Devices

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“Rhetorics in Patrick Henry’s Speech” During the tension before the American Revolution, colonial outlook on freedom was bleak. Governor Patrick Henry conveyed the urge for retaliation against Great Britain in his speech at the Virginia Convention. In Patrick Henry’s speech “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” he uses rhetorical devices, such as logos and pathos to instill the drive in the Convention to rebel against Great Britain and its tyrannical rule. Patrick Henry lived in colonial Virginia in the 1700s. He was governor of the state multiple times and was an outspoken opponent of British taxes against the colonies. Henry became so staunchly against the British taxes that he spoke directly to the governing body of Virginia at the Virginia …show more content…

Pathos is an appeal that evokes emotion or intense feelings. The use of this appeal in Henry's speech conveyed his point to the melodramatic Convention members. To elicit passion upon his contemporaries, Henry mentioned the biblical story of the Children of Israel, more specifically the Bible verse Exodus 14:14. The book of Exodus tells the story of the Israelites deliverance from slavery to the Egyptians. Henry draws comparisons to colonial times when he says, “There is no retreat, but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged, their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston!” (Lines 58-59). Henry feels as if the colonists are as desperate and exasperated as the Children of Israel. Moses, the leader of the Israelites, promised to them that God would carry them through the battle of dealing with Pharaoh. Henry uses a direct reference to Exodus 14:14 when he says, “There is a just God...to fight our battles for us” (Line 10). The direct scripture quote is, “The Lord will fight for you while you keep still.” The allusion to the Exodus story triggers the pathos reaction of the audience. The reassurance of God’s protection would allow Henry’s audience, the Virginia Convention, to give way for a relation against Great Britain. Without Patrick Henry’s use of rhetorical appeals in his speech “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” America may have never

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Additionally, Henry asserts that “[they] have petitioned; [they] have remonstrated; [they] have supplicated; [they] have prostrated [themselves] before the throne” to “avert the storm” of the upcoming war. Henry’s appliance of anaphora with “we” at the beginning of subsequent clauses emphasizes that the colonists have done much to avoid any violent outcome with the British. He notes that the colonists are trying to resolve problems while Britain is only “produc[ing] additional violence and insult.” Hence, Henry underscores Britain’s neglect of possible solutions and their inclination for violence. In essence, Henry’s clever use of various rhetorical strategies persuades the colonies to achieve their freedom from Britain.

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The convincing and commanding speech, “Give me Liberty Or Give Me Death” by Patrick Henry emphasizes religious reference to help him makes his argument. For example, he says "Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss" which is a reference to Judas betrayal of Christ. In conclusion though he is talking about how Parliament is pretending to be nice but will only turn on the colonists as soon as they get a chance. He’s comparing the Parliament with Judas and the colonists with Christ to advert to a time where one of the most famous betrayals went on.

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At the Virginia convention in 1774, the delegates such as Patrick Henry, gather to decide their course of action, in a time where their primary goal was to rid themselves of their oppressor, Great Britain. Patrick Henry addresses the other delegates and discloses his opinion on what course of action the people should take. In his speech at the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry forcefully influences the audience to go to war with Great Britain through diction, figurative language and rhetorical devices and by confronting them with their current position of danger in the face of the inevitable British Invasion. Patrick Henry emphasizes his opinion of the necessary war by using diction such as ethos and logos, through appeals to their senses that make connections for the audience. Through Henry’s repetitive utilization of ethos

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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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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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Patrick Henry’s claim in his speech to the Virginia Convention is war with England is the only way to win freedom and their desires because England makes this the only choice. Before Patrick went up there were other men that had spoken before him, these men were speaking their views on whether or not they should initialize the war. Once Patrick has his chance to say his part he believes that they should fight because England hasn’t been fair. Patrick states this basically by saying “An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us”. This is such a powerful statement because what he’s proposing is extremely dangerous.

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Henry believed the only solution left was to go to war with Britain. So he gives a speech to the Virginia Convention to plead his cause. In his speech he uses many different examples of ethos, pathos, and logos. To begin with, pathos is appealing with the audience’s emotions. An emotional appeal evokes anger, laughter, sadness, fear, joy, pride, and etc.

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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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During this time, religion was very important so it was very crucial for Patrick Henry to mention this in his speech, because it was a main appeal everyone had in common. Finally, Patrick Henry uses the rhetorical appeal of logos, logic appeal. Mr. Henry uses logos when he says, “...what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission?”. This is a logical analysis, because he points out that there is no other reason for the warlike products, but for the Americans. Another logical point Mr. Henry makes is when he says “...we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on...petitioned...remonstrated...supplicated...and implored its interposition...

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Rhetorical Analysis Convincing people of something or to do something is not an easy task but Patrick Henry's “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention” shows how well someone can persuade people when they trust you, appeal to their emotions, or back up what you are saying with facts...ethos, pathos, and logos. The purpose of this speech is to persuade the colonist to fight against the british. Patrick is talking to the members of the virginia convention and what they need to do to become free. Patrick Henry uses ethos to help convince the audience that he knows what he's talking about and how they should trust him.

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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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756 Words | 4 Pages

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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On March 23,1775 Patrick Henry convinced colonists to fight against Britain by using four rhetorical devices which were allusion, imagery, one-word sentences and rhetorical questions. He did this by reading his famous speech called “the Virgina Convention speech”. These four devices helped Patrick Henry convinced many people that were still not willing to go to war. Patrick Henry purpose for using allusion was to helped him connect with the listeners. “Listen to the song of the siren till she transforms us into beast.”

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1000 Words | 4 Pages

but he has different views than his audience, the Virginia Convention, does. Throughout the speech, Henry uses words like “we” and “ourselves” to show that he is still with the audience, and not against them. Henry continues on in that same paragraph by using pathos. When he said, "Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself guilty of treason towards my own country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. " He is saying that this is what he needs to do for his God.

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