Rhetorical Analysis Essay On Patrick Henry

To achieve freedom and independence from a tyrannical government you need to be able to spread revolutionary ideas. The best way to do this is through a politically persuasive argument. Leading up to the American Revolution to gather support for independence, powerful speeches were given to bring about change. The American Revolution was successful because of how protest, speeches, and literature all worked together to persuade Americans to declare independence from Great Britain. The Virginia Convention needed to be persuaded to prepare for war with the British. Patrick Henry was a politician in Virginia who supported war with Britain. Patrick Henry gave a speech titled “Speech in the Virginia Convention” with an ethical appeal that uses parallelism,

Patrick Henry is listing off things the colonies have tried doing to avoid war using “we have” to introduce each new item. Patrick Henry is able to relate well to the delegates, in that he relays to them how hard they had been working to fix their relationship with Britain, and that nothing has worked leaving only one option: war. Henry asserts that it is morally acceptable to declare war with Britain since peaceful tactics have already been tried. Patrick Henry showed the Virginia Convention that they have tried everything to avoid war, relieving worries that bloodshed during the war would fall on the convention's hands. Henry advocated that to make a rational decision the statesmen would need to focus on evidence. Patrick Henry is able to call upon the ethics of the delegates by making the claim “Are we disposed to be of the number of those having eyes see not, and having ears hear not” (Henry 188). Patrick Henry is saying that even though it may not be what they want to “hear” or “see”, it will be best to know what is coming so they can properly prepare. The statesmen were elected leaders who would want to make decisions that were backed by evidence and reasoning. Patrick Henry effectively appeals to the ethics

Patrick Henry asks many rhetorical questions that guide the convention towards the more ethical decision. Patrick Henry suggests that the only two options left for the statesmen are war or supplication when he asks“Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication?” (Henry 188). Patrick Henry is trying to make the virginia convention realize that all other methods of consolidation with Britain have been exhausted leaving only two options: war or begging for mercy, the latter being an unacceptable option. By doing this Patrick Henry is able to persuade the statesmen that there is only one ethical option left. Patrick Henry was able to persuade the delegates that war was their only ethical choice to preserve the image of their government. Patrick Henry draws a connection between submitting to the tyranny of Britain and slavery when he asks, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?” (Henry 190). Patrick Henry is making the argument that by standing by idly the delegates are becoming slaves to the British Empire. Many of the delegates would have owned slaves, and been affected greatly by being compared to a slave. Patrick Henry adds to the ethical appeal of the argument by comparing the British control over the colonies with slavery a morally evil institution. The device effectively sent a warning to the delegates that failure to take action