Patrick Henry Speech

    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

At a tense meeting in a church in Richmond, Virginia, away from the watchful eyes of Britain, Patrick Henry began to deliver a rousing speech to the Second Convention of Delegates. His passion was tangible to the audience as he called the delegates to action. His speech was memorable to everyone in the room and powerful in convincing the delegates to support the war. Little did he know that this speech would continue to be known for its power and persuasion for generations to come. Throughout Patrick Henry's speech, he emphasized the necessity to act against Britain and support the war, but he did so in a way that was unavoidably persuasive. Henry used emotional appeal, metaphors, and rhetorical questions in order to convince the delegates

Finally, what I consider the most powerful technique Henry uses is the fallacy of appealing to emotion. Henry talks about various actions that the colonists have already taken to protest the English government, such as, “We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated…” By doing so, the audience is reminded of all these things that have been done, only to realize that they have failed. Henry “reveals” that the English government has only denied them and turned them down each time. “Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned…” This quote builds up anger in the audience, creating great contempt for the British. The colonists start to feel as though the British have no intention to care about them and will take advantage of Americans every chance they get.

The fight for American independence was a long, arduous struggle, but many great literary works aided the battle. One such example is Patrick Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention”. Given in 1775 at the Virginia Provincial Convention, Henry aims to convince listeners of the futility of peace with Britain, and that they should join the efforts for the inevitable war. To accomplish this, Henry uses many different persuasive techniques and rhetorical devices. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech”, Henry uses techniques such as rhetorical questions, allusion, and emotional appeal to convey the point that the United States must rebel against Britain.

Throughout the entirety of his speech, Henry presents amplifying loaded words to bring to attention the predicament between the two opposing sides. Loaded words are terms of influence by employing positive or negative connotations. For example, Henry claims in paragraph five, “We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated...” (Henry 5). He particularly targets the verb of the sentences by altering their meaning, to add a kick to the phrase. Rather than state, “We have asked; we have protested, we have begged,” Henry offers more potent terms, such as “petitioned,” “remonstrated” and “supplicated,” to emphasize how perilous the situation between the two countries is, compelling them to take action. He continues to underline

First, throughout Patrick's speech, he used repetition and politeness to help persuade people to agree with his war efforts towards Great Britain. For example he stated, “The War is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.”

Henry includes a passionate pathos appeal in his speech to fill the audience with much passion and emotion to make them want to join his fight. Towards the end of his writing, Henry states, “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!” (Henry 6). This piece of the speech uses a significant amount of emotionally charged language, as well as, emotionally charged punctuation. Through the immense amount of emotionally charged language and punctuation, these statements easily display a pathos appeal. Henry displays this information to ensure his audience knows that these unjust British actions are not going away. He also is including these statements, so that the audience knows that the British are preparing for war, and if the colonists do not prepare, then then Britain is simply going to crush them and going to make matters even worse. At the end of the speech, Henry mentions, “Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms!” (Henry 7). These statements easily display many emotionally charged words, along with a few emotional punctuations that show the use of the pathos appeal. Henry mentions this in his

Patrick Henry was an influential leader, from the 18th century, who delivered one of the most famous speeches in the United States. He was also a politician, with a strong sense of patriotism, leading to his support in the opposition of the British government. Before Independence Day, America was under the control of the British, and by 1774, the British Parliament started passing laws to tax colonists. However, Henry was remarkably against to the submission of British government. The patriot transformed the spirits of the colonists, and perhaps bringing America, itself, out of slavery through a speech, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.” This speech was given at the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. Henry’s speech played an important role for the War of Independence, as well as, finding one of the principals of which America is founded upon, freedom.

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry, one of the crucial motivators of the American Revolution, delivers a speech in the Second Virginia Convention regarding gaining independence from Britain. Henry’s diction, allusions and counterarguments aid in his purpose of making the delegates feel the tyrannical rule by the British and believing in going to war with them is the only option in attaining freedom.

Patrick Henry knew how to use rhetorical thinking in his speech and he used it to a point. He used pathos in speech when he talks about what

Patrick Henry was a man with a vision; he attempts to persuade the delegates in virginia to see his vision the same way. He uses pathos to push his point through to the delegates. Henry says, “ For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom of slavery.”(Henry 2) Here he is clearly trying to appeal to the audience's emotion by making the delegates think, would it be better to be slaves to the British or have our own freedom. Henry wants the delegates to feel a certain way so they understand what they could be getting themselves out of by going to war with Britain. Henry again uses pathos when he says, “and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!”(Henry 10) Henry gets loud here it is seen by the punctuation used, this shows his emotion he is showing here. When another man uses emotion in an argument it will tend to make the surrounding audience feel a certain way. At this moment Henry starts to get everyone's heart racing with his volume. This excitement pushing the statement to fight, he wants the delegates to feel the fight coming to know that it's coming and that they have the push to win it. He later continues by telling the men they were called weak and that they couldn't handle a government. But Henry continues by telling the delegates that they are not weak but strong and can win this battle that they would have to face. Henry makes it known he is emotional about going and winning this battle by the use of pathos all throughout this excerpt he gave them.

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.

Writing to an audience that still lacks the desire to oppose the British, Patrick Henry in his "Speech to Virginia House of Burgesses" focuses on the rights of man and defying oppressors. Through figurative language, rhetorical questions, and diction, Henry heightens the necessity to rise up and fight against the British ruling power over the colonist population in Northern America.

"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", Henry proclaims, illustrating for the audience that the issue is one that is changed. In Lines 28-33, Henry uses Imagery to help the audience to recognize being backed into a corner and having no other choice than to fight on an emotional level. Henry uses negatively charged diction in phrases, like ‘But When, ‘When will the time come’, and ‘the truth of the matter is’ to construct a plea or call to action through an activation of pathos in hearts of the audience Elsewhere in the argument rhetorical questions are used to emphasize the point that the colonists must fight the British, effectively saying the audience to feel patriotic through the memorisation of Henry’s arguments. Appeals to emotion, in combination with the effective use of rhetoric, activate pathos in the audience without crossing the ethical line between argument and

In 1775, Patrick Henry argues to the president and delegates of the Virginia Convention that the colonists should take up arms against the British. During this speech to the convention, Henry criticizes the leaders for ignoring the reality of the situation that the colonists are in, suggests that the previous methods of diplomacy have been ineffective, begs the convention to fight for their own freedom, and argues that the British did not want to negotiate. Henry is very urgent and confident with his remarks to the convention. Patrick Henry argues to the Virginia Convention that the colonists must fight the British due to many failed attempts at peace by discussing the potential danger they are in.