Rhetorical Analysis Of Eulogy By Margaret Thatcher

In the eulogy delivered by Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of Great Britain and close friend of the late Ronald Reagan, Thatcher uses rhetorical strategies to gain the empathy and raise the morale of the American people. With the language she uses, Thatcher paints Reagan as a savior of his countrymen and hero to even his political enemies. Throughout the eulogy, Thatcher presents Reagan as a friend, not only to her, but to the world. She speaks of “Ronnie” as a man who was beyond his abilities and could mend a broken nation with his words. She states “He sought to mend America’s wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism”. Her tone implies that Reagan was a president of good moral standing and strong enough leadership skills to analyze and tackle these problems during his two terms. Thatcher’s language gives the audience a sense of pride and nationalism in having a president so willing and able to help his people and the economy they live in.

Within the eulogy, Thatcher’s language implies that reagan was a savior for the declining country, both diplomatically and economically. At the time, many Americans feared the financial repercussions and states of their livelihood due to the Cold War. Thatcher states “ [Reagan] won the Cold War, not only without firing a shot, but also by inviting enemies out of their fortress and turning them into friends”. In this way, Thatcher has made it a point to show how President Reagan had become a friend to the people. He knew of the declining state of the Soviet Union and that the citizens weren’t at fault for it. Thatcher says this in a fashion that shows not only Reagan’s struggle with communism in government, but his sympathy and strife for the people he wants to free from it’s