Rhetorical Analysis Of Patrick Henry Speech

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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 …show more content…

Through the use of diction, Henry appeals to the senses by making logical connections for the audience and by appealing to the audiences credibility. By doing this he the audience receives his message better because Henry captivates their attention. Henry utilizes figurative language in order to instill a sense of urgency in the audience. He wants the audience to also believe that a war with Great Britain is necessary. Henry connects the audience with their religion through rhetorical devices, such as allusions. In doing this Henry forms a connection between the need to have a war and religion. This connection helps attach the reader to Henry's opinions and make them more open to the war. All in all, Henry confronts the delegates of the Virginia Convention with the inevitable British invasions and changes the opinions of the delegates through diction, figurative language and rhetorical