Rhetorical Analysis Of Abraham Lincoln's The Gettysburg Address

Seven score and nine years ago, Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth President of the United States of America, set off for Gettysburg in order to consecrate Gettysburg National Cemetery. In an uncharacteristically short speech-at least for the 1860s-Lincoln was able to reaffirm the values our Founding Fathers had laid down in the Declaration of Independence as well as the Constitution, and painted a vision of a unified United States where freedom and democracy would be the rule for all citizens. Lincoln utilized various rhetorical devices to make the Gettysburg Address accomplish two tasks in one. The first is to bring remembrance to the principals and morals for which the United States was built upon, second is to honor the brave soldiers who fought and died at Gettysburg and consecrate the land upon which they stood and finally was to sway those attending into giving their “…last full measure of devotion-” to ensure a nation that would remain built upon the concepts of liberty and democracy and continues to gain support for the cause of the war.. Seeking only to honor the dead and inspire the living, Lincoln ended up delivering one of the most powerful speeches in American-if not world-history.

In order for one to better understand the importance of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, one must first

In the third paragraph, President Lincoln stresses the important point that the words of his speech cannot actually bless or make holy the Battlefield of Gettysburg. Rather, he indicates the bravery of the men, both living and dead, has already made the ground of the battlefield sacred. Again, Lincoln is honoring the actions of all the soldiers, Union and Confederate, and trying to unite the nation instead of dividing it.

In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln concisely stated the message in which our country was founded on the idea that all men are created equal. He states the significance of the battle in were, many made the ultimate sacrifice while standing up for this ideals reminding us that although words can often be forgotten, the actions of those brave ones will never be forgotten. He too mentions the responsibility we all share to continue the legacy of those who died in the battle.

According, to “The Avalon Project” it says, “While the Inaugural Address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war, seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation” and “All dreaded it all sought to avert it.” The differentiation in the lengths of the sentences can show the difference between the North and South, and Lincoln’s tendency to combine them to make a strong country. This syntax helps highlight Lincoln’s purpose of joining a divided country by merging two different sentence lengths to make a powerful speech, showing that the combination of the Confederacy and the Union will make a strong country. Lastly, Lincoln uses syntax to make a call for a unified country, mainly as he concludes. According, to the article “The Avalon Project” it says “let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind up the country’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.”

This speech, The Gettysburg Address, was given to try to convince people that the war should end. He starts the speech with an ethical appeal, referring to when, “our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” (Lincoln 1863). When he mentions their fathers, he is talking about the founding fathers of America, such as George Washington and John Adams. By mentioning them, the people are reminded of the morals and values that the nation was founded on, none of which include having an war with themselves. Also, by stating how the country was, “conceived in Liberty,” he is using an ethical appeal in the fact that that was that reason that the country was founded, to be free from persecution based on beliefs, status, or anything else that varies between any of us, as individuals. Finally, in the concluding line of the address, Lincoln adds, “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (Lincoln 1863). Once again he is using an ethical appeal by referring to God and the government, which is in favor of the people, creating a sense of unity and calling to the ethical and moral standards that make up their God and

In the Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln demonstrated that his point was to unify the nation. Because the North and South were so belligerent to each other, the nation split apart, causing the Civil War. As a result, it was Lincoln’s aim to unite and strengthen his divided nation. Lincoln knew and reflected on the hardships both parties endured and called upon the nation to leave behind their bitterness and resentment. Then, he ordered the North and South to come together as one nation and treat each other “with malice toward

In his Second Inaugural Address, President Abraham Lincoln shared a vision with the American people in the last month of the Civil War. He mentions the irony of this war and the effects it brings to the nation. Lincoln's use of rhetorical strategies opens the eyes of readers and reveals the reality of the war and its foolishness. He shares his desire and vision of unity with the American people in this address. The condition of the Unites States of America was a bloody state in where brethren. Lincoln uses this very same fact by revealing that "Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God." Lincoln also emphasizes the strange fact that "any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in writing their bread for the sweat of other men's

After a brutal three day battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Robert E. Lee and his men retreated back into Virginia on July 4, 1863. The battle was a devastating loss for the Confederacy and a devastating victory for the Union. This battle may have proved the power of the Union army and destroyed every hope the Confederacy had of winning this war, but the loss of American lives could not be justified through this battle. When the fighting stopped over 50,000 casualties lay dead sprawled across the city and outskirts of Gettysburg. Eleven score and nineteen years ago our forefathers planned out a new nation based upon the principles that all persons should have. Seven score and twelve years ago as the reburying of thousands of fallen soldiers were taking place, Abraham Lincoln, The Union President, reminded approximately 15,000 people of that plan our forefathers architected for us. His brief address, lasting almost 2 minutes, became a national language that itself gave purpose to the Battle of Gettysburg and the sacrifice made here (Voelker). Lincoln 's speech can be summed up into many sacrifices and one powerful word; freedom.

On November 19th, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address to the nation. In this short two minute speech delivered after the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln dedicated the speech to the men who had lost their lives in the battle. In the speech Lincoln directed his attention to the citizens of the nation with a very patriotic and war-weary tone and hoped that this would end war soon and, in the process, save many lives. In Lincoln’s speech, he used many rhetorical devices, including allusions, pathos and personification to establish his tone and overall accomplish his purpose. Lincoln used many rhetorical devices in his speech one of these is an allusion to the Declaration of Independence.

In "The Gettysburg Address," Abraham Lincoln's purpose is to honor the dead, and end the war by accomplishing the unfinished work that those who died, died for. Abraham Lincoln delivers his speech with an inspirational and motivational tone. The usage of the elements repetition and parallelism establish his devotion for his determination. Throughout Abrahan Lincoln's speech, he introduces variety of repetitions to assist his goal.

Abraham Lincoln and his speech, “The Gettysburg Address” was a major and crucial dialogue in influencing the American people to end the Civil War. Lincoln inspired those to fight for the nation and stated how the people who’ve helped him try to attain his goal will be remembered. He dedicated his speech to the deceased and tried to use vocabulary that emphasized unity with the people of the North and

President Lincoln’s referral to the “proposition” in the Gettysburg Address meant that all men were created equal. This meant no more slavery, that all men and women were free and equal. When you consecrate a place it makes it a holy place or dedicate to a higher purpose when President Lincoln didn’t consecrate the ground, the men that died, and the ones that are living consecrated the ground. “Hallowed ground” is used to designate something that is scared and reversed. Although, some people feel shorter speeches should be modeled after the Gettysburg Address. The speech was only 273 words in length, and was delivered in less than three minutes. So many people until this day marvel at the profound message that President Lincoln gave that day (Larson, 2013).

On November 19, 1863, Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, along with Edward Everett, at a ceremony dedicating the battlefield as a National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In less than three minutes, Lincoln identified the nation’s mission with the principle that “all men are created equal,” spoke of the war as bringing about a “new birth of freedom,” and defined the essence of democratic government. Lincoln honored the Union dead and reminded the listeners of the purpose of the soldier’s sacrifice: equality, freedom, and national unity (HistoryNet). The sacrifices of Union soldiers, Lincoln declared, would ensure that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” The Battle of Gettysburg which was fought four months earlier, was the single bloodiest battle of the Civil War, where more than 45,000 men were killed, injured, and captured.

One of the most influential pieces of literature written in American History would be the