Patrick Henry Speech Analysis

    In Henry’s speech, he first sets the stage by using a proud tone while explaining the importance of war with Britain. His illustrious delivery of the speech itself is very moving, as the efforts to convince America to settle on the side of war. He goes on to convey, “Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of  those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power” (Henry 38). His tone of taking charge and only accepting the best from his country supports the claim that Henry is indeed the proud man he is. Henry also in his speech uses an enlightening tone to inspire his crowd he uses terms to explain how he will settle for only the best for the country. He uses phrases such as, “The war is inevitable-and let it come!” (38). This phrase brings up the emotion of the crowd as they believe in war, and Henry himself is full of power as he enforces that war must go on. He uses such enthusiasm and inspiration to uplift himself and the crowd to ensure that war is necessary. Overall, Henry;s tone of the proudness and

Emphasising certain points lets the orator direct the audience to the major points since they cannot memorize the entire speech. Henry’s extensive use of the rhetorical question, a question which is not supposed to be answered, is one way he emphasized points in his speech. When people hear questions, they intuitively develop an answer in their heads. This process is what makes the rhetorical question so successful in emphasising ideas: it requires the audience to actively think about the point, which reinforces it more compared to passively listening. For example, Henry rhetorically asks, “But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year?” These questions were used to emphasize how Great Britain was making the colonies weak. Another way Henry successfully guides the audience to the important ideas was through his use of hyperbole. Simply put, people better remember things that are ridiculous. Exaggerated ideas stand out from the rest of the speech, and therefore are better able to be retained by the audience. To summarize the end of the speech, Henry states that the colonies consist of an invincible force of three million. However, this is clearly false. The grand population of the colonies was three million, including loyalists, slaves, women, children, who at the time lacked the political

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

Henry then goes on to say “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The War is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.” Not only is he committing a fallacy by making it seem like only two alternatives can be considered- in this case, the Americans fight in order to obtain freedom or America submits to being enslaved by the British- but he is also using parallelism and pathos to stir up his audience which is propaganda and demagoguery, respectively.

'Give me liberty or give me death.' These famous words were uttered by Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775, as a conclusion to his speech delivered to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Within his speech, he uses the three rhetorical appeals (ethos, logos, and pathos) to convey a feeling of urgency toward the changes occurring in policy within the Americas implemented by the British government. He cleverly uses these appeals to disrupt the paradigm that Great Britain is going to let the American people have any liberty.

Henry is appealing to the patriotism and emotions of his audience by mentioning things such as “a question of freedom or slavery”, “the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country”, and “the very worth gentlemen who have just addressed the House”.

Patrick Henry uses a patriotic tone in his speech to persuade his audience as to Jonathan Edwards’s uses a harsh tone in his sermon to persuade his audience. For instance, in Henry's speech, he says "No man thinks more highly than I do of patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very gentlemen who have just addressed the House". Henry is saying the

Henry’s diction portrays the British as untrustworthy and dishonorable. In the beginning of his speech, Henry states that he considers the need of independence from the British “nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery.” The words “freedom” and “slavery” are provided as ultimatums in which one can only have one, not both. The negative connotation conveyed through the word “slavery” make the delegates in the convention compare their situation of being ruled by the Britains to that of a slave and slave owner, leading to the consensus of the immorality displayed by the British. Therefore the delegates feel the absolute power the British have over the American colonists which incites a fear over their lack of control. The word “freedom” is most commonly associated with something one must fight to win. Through this word, Henry is able to imply to his audience that the Americans must fight with the Britains in order to gain freedom. In addition, when describing the military preparations the British are taking, Henry expresses that “these war-like preparations … cover American

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 stated, “No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights (Henry).” Henry recognizes the evident differences in beliefs that the colonist has. Henry goes on in his speech to say, “The question before House is one of awful moment to this country, and I consider is as nothing less than question of freedom or slavery (Henry).” Henry determines the colonists must make an ultimate decision. By utilizing the words ‘slavery’ and ‘freedom’, he created a hope for the colonist to hold onto and to create fear in the colonies. Henry appeals to the colonist’s religion because it was relevant to the revolutionary cause. Henry stated, “Should I keep back my opinions at a such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason toward my country, and an act of disability toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings (Henry).” Henry denounced the King when he stated Majesty of Heaven. Doing this, he informs the colonists that God was on their side. By associating God with the war, Henry utilized the use of pathos and ethos. Patrick Henry’s speech refutes his opponent’s beliefs that there was no need for battle with the British. Henry stated, “It is natural to man to indulge in the

Moreover, while building up his ethos, Henry uses pathos to give himself credibility. He uses words like freedom and slavery to move his audience to fight. His audience already agrees that freedom is worth fighting for but they lack the motivation to act. Henry knows this and creates his speech to remind them of the power of

“They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging”(2). This metaphor negatively portrays Britain as a master and America is its slave; in conjunction, this also speaks for his tone towards another country as negative compared to his tone regarding America as positive. “Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us”(3). Stating to the delegates a call to action, Henry elucidates that America has three million patriots ready to fight and die for their country to maintain liberty and, because of this, are invincible. There is also a God who help them win their battles because the cause is just. Henry’s display of overflowing trust of American people and the support from an omnipotent being promotes a confident and patriotic response to the delegates in the room thinking that they cannot lose to

Instead of having them question something, he bashes them with fear of being damned to hell, and practically forces his own views on his congregation. Henry uses an exact opposite approach. He asks his listeners many rhetorical questions, such as “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation?” and “Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies?” Through this, Henry is able to get his listeners to see his side of the situation, and is able to persuade their views on Britain.

The principal thing Henry did when giving his discourse has he complimented his adversaries, so as to pick up their appreciation and trust. Since the group of onlookers regards Henry, they will be all the more eager to listen to what it is he needs to say. He then requests absolution ahead of time for anything he says that may affront or annoy them or any other individual. Henry legitimizes the reason for his discourse, utilizing a false problem to make the group of onlookers trusts that there are just two choices when truth be told, there are some more. The two alternatives he gives them are an opportunity and subjection. Henry then goes on and makes a reference to God and America, as an approach to associate with his gathering of people.