Patrick Henry Rhetorical Analysis

Henry also used many metaphors to give a clear picture to the audience in order to dramatize the current conflict. Toward the beginning of the body of his speech, he called Britain sending troops in response the colonists’ rebellious activities as “war-like preparations” and said they “cover[ed] our waters and darken[ed] our land.” There he compared Britain sending troops to a “cover” or a shadow, making them seem like a heavy burden or threat. This comparison painted them in an ominous and untrustworthy light without Henry directly declaring that the British soldiers were untrustworthy. Later in the speech, Henry compared submission to the to slavery, saying, “It is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission in slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may

Throughout the entire speech, he creates emotion that affects the audience. He created emotion throughout the speech by using other rhetorical strategies, such as repetition, imagery, rhetorical questions, and allusions. By using repetition, he made the audience feel some guilt. In the repetition “Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves” creates the guilt-feeling towards the audience, because if Henry were right about Great Britain, then the audience would be in fault for not going to war with Great Britain. By using imagery, the images of an “insidious smile”, “delusive phantoms of hope”, and slavery and chains, creates an unpleasant image to the mind making the audience feel angry, empty, and fearful. Henry uses many rhetorical questions. The use of the rhetorical questions is a question that can only be answered with one right answer. This is because the question being asked is the truth. Sometimes the truth can be hard to hear and accept. As Henry asks these questions, “But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction?” he evokes fear towards the audience and perhaps anger. He also uses biblical allusions in the speech. He does this to create some credibility but also to provoke some trust from the audience. When Henry mentions God or the biblical allusion it comforted or delighted the audience to know that God is a role in his speech. Although Henry uses repetition, imagery, rhetorical questions, and allusions, he incorporated emotion to those three other rhetorical strategies used.

In conclusion, Henry uses various rhetorical strategies which are centered around his tone to help persuade the delegates to become independent. He uses his closing comments to stress the reality of the war hoping to assure them to completely disaffiliate themselves from the British. In his final words Henry says, “give me liberty or give me death,” (3). which expresses that he would take the ultimate sacrifice for his country; this momentous quote completely assures the delegates that seceding is the prime decision to becoming an independent

Henry believed that the British tyranny would continue to oppress the colonists, in which America should fight for their liberty. Henry continued with, “I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on,” pointing out that there is no better choice than war. Moreover, he appealed to emotion by stating, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it.” Henry emphasized that a peaceful life is not bounded on slavery, but on liberty.

In his speech Henry convinced Virginia that all the acts of peace had not worked, and will never work. The solution he saw was to fight, and to start the fight immediately. Henry said that they had a right to fight and that God was on their side. From previous British actions, he foresaw war coming and instead of fearing war, he encouraged his audience to embrace

In 1775, Patrick Henry gave America one of the most inspiring speeches that will bring soon bring them together with war on the rise. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” has become the battle-cry to the people in the colonies to take a stand against Britain’s rule and make America their own country. Even after the attempted peace between the two countries, it has been exhausted to the breaking point, and it has come to the time where fighting for their own freedom is the only viable option. Henry’s speech spoke volumes to the American people of the truth, the false presence of peace, and the cry for battle against Britain.

Henry claims, "We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne." He creates rhythm and emphasizes his point that his countrymen have to adopt a new method. His audience realizes the reality of their current situation when he lists all the past efforts. When Henry proclaims, "give me liberty, or give me death," he means that colonists only have two choices: freedom or slavery. Henry stirs the souls of his audience.

In the Speech to the Virginia Convention by Patrick Henry, the author uses multiple literary devices and a unifying tone to support his claim for the Americans to go against British oppression and to

He uses diction, rhetorical questions, and logos to convey this. In part of his speech, it is said, "Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation?" (Henry). This is a rhetorical question used by Henry, asking whether a country who is willing to compromise would send over their military. In another section, Henry says, "...if it's [Great Britain's army] purpose he not to force us to submission?" (Henry). Here, Henry uses diction. He attempts to make his audience feel unsettled by using the word "force,” which goes along with his earlier statement about slavery. Henry also uses logos, as he exclaims, "Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other" (Henry). Due to the fact that Great Britain has no rivals near America, the only logical reason why they'd send over troops is because they are meant for the

As he goes on in his speech, he says that to not be free, would be worse than death. Therefore, according to Patrick Henry’s logical argument, and substitution, they must revolt, or face a condition worse than death.

In PH speech he states, “I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.”Henry is metaphorically comparing how the British are saying things to the colonists. Another example of metaphor is “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?” Patrick

Henry presents rhetorical questions towards the people that he disagrees with and then gives firm declarative answers, disproving any counter arguments. Henry closes his speech with his most famous words, “ Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death”(Henry par.5)! Henry summarizes the points he made throughout his speech by reiterating the themes of slavery, imprisonment, and God’s good will towards the colonists.

We must fight against the dreadful British. Patrick Henry wrote the “Speech in the Virginia Convention” to urge the colonists to fight for independence from Great Britain. Henry shows a great amount of strength and patriotism in his speech. This, along with other strategies, aids him in persuading the colonists. Patrick Henry’s influential, “Speech in the Virginia Convention” rightfully uses Aristotelian appeals and rhetorical strategies to persuade the colonists to declare war against the British.

“I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” (Henry). This is a famous quote from Patrick Henry’s speech to the Virginia Convention. He gave this speech on March 23, 1775, the time period where he discussed the relations with Great Britain. They didn’t defend themselves and each other against Britain and Henry was trying to change that in case of the possibility of a war increasing. Patrick Henry’s Speech to the Virginia Convention is most persuasive above The Crisis by Thomas Paine due to the amount of pathos he uses to express his anger and resentment towards the mistreatment by Britain.