Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became a civil rights activist shortly after attaining his doctorate in theology from Boston University. He later went on to deliver one of the finest speeches in United States history on August 28, 1963 entitled “I Have a Dream.” Over 200,000 people arrived to hear King deliver this speech. King uses a number of rhetorical devices to accentuate his point such as metaphors, antitheses, as well as anaphora’s. In addressing the nation Dr. Martin Luther King Jr effectively uses the appeals of Ethos, Pathos and Logos to convince the audience to take action in demanding racial justice for African-Americans; He envisioned a nation uniting as one to defend the rights of every ethnicity under the constitution.

Martin Luther King Jr., an American Baptist minister and a Civil Rights activist, became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He is widely known for his speech that took place on 28 August 1963, “I Have a Dream.” This speech aimed toward the entire nation. King’s main purpose in this speech was to convince his audience to demand racial justice and for them all to stand up together for their rights. In this speech, King uses emotional and logical appeal to gain the audience's support. He applied many rhetorical devices to his speech to connect with the audience’s emotions, and to logically support his arguments.

In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech, King makes use of an innumerable amount of rhetorical devices that augment the overall understanding and flow of the speech. King makes the audience feel an immense amount of emotion due to the outstanding use of pathos in his speech. King also generates a vast use of rhetorical devices including allusion, anaphora, and antithesis. The way that King conducted his speech adds to the comprehension and gives the effect that he wants to rise above the injustices of racism and segregation that so many people are subjected to on a daily basis.

We have all heard Martin Luther King’s famous speech, I have a Dream. His main goal was to convince everyone across the country to comprehend racial equality and to reinforce a solution for those individuals already engaged in the Civil Rights movement. You could say his speech was part of what made the movement successful. By him taking a stand, much attention was put into the problems that were going on. He was and still is viewed as an important leader who was an activist in the Civil Rights Movement. Here we will basically dissect parts of his speech and define the points he was making and trying to make. Throughout the paper, you will see how Dr. King uses Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to show his audience and make them feel what went on.

    “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Junior is a widely known speech that demonstrates the power of rhetoric and the effect it can have on the audience. This speech was written and presented by Martin Luther King Jr. in the year 1963, right in front of the Lincoln Memorial. He uses symbolism, metaphorical imagery, and powerful diction to create an impact on the audience. These rhetorical strategies demonstrate ethos, pathos, and logos to help the audience Martin Luther King Jr’s message and purpose.

During his time being a social activist, he had a significant role in ending the legal segregation of citizens in the South and other areas of the nation who were active with segregation. He was also very much involved with the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In 1963, Martin Luther King gave his famous speech, “I Have A Dream”. His speech was given among many people in Washington, D.C. He started off his speech by referencing the Emancipation Proclamation that had been issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued to officially free African American slaves during the Civil War. Martin Luther King used this reference to show how the African Americans were not free from racism, even just about one hundred years later. During his speech, “ I Have A Dream,” he explained some of the ways society at that time were segregated and how those limitations of racism affected the African American people. Martin Luther King even mentions how in the Declaration of Independence, promises had been unfulfilled. The United States Constitution had unfulfilled promises as well. MLK explained how these two documents listed the rights of American citizens, and “profess that men are created equal,” yet African Americans at that time were not treated as equally as any other white person. His dream was that everyone was given

King used what some people thought and knew about Abraham Lincoln to influence his entire audience. Lincoln was a president who empowered Americans throughout the civil war. He gained the trust of America and established a feeling of freedom. Martin Luther King refers to the credibility of Lincoln. He quotes, “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. He mentions how the American government had broken its promise to American people. Dr.King uses his own credibility and reputation as an American citizen who was effected by the actions of the government.

The United States of America is the most racially assorted nation on the planet where African-Americans are endeavouring to live in peace and resistance. In this way, different social liberties activists showed up who endeavoured to build up a superior situation. The most liberal extremist of them was Martin Luther King Jr. All through the 1960s, he occupied with numerous social equality dissents, helping African-Americans to pick up their possible triumph. The "I Have a Dream" discourse has a huge effect that delineated racial separation of that time. Martin Luther lord, a fulfilled social equality pioneer, utilized logical systems keeping in mind the end goal to pass on the message of equity, fairness and peace amid the savage social equality time.

As he delivered his speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial he analogizes Lincoln in his speech, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the emancipation proclamation.” His utilization of Lincoln discourse brought power into his discourse. Lincoln was an intense and extraordinary president who engaged the American individuals all through the common war. He got the trust of America and developed another sentiment opportunity. Martin Luther Ruler is summoning the specialist of Lincoln and his view on social freedoms. This is giving a strong ethos claim and working up legitimacy with his get-together of individuals

One-way Dr. King furthers his purpose is through his use of ethos. At the beginning of the speech he expresses his happiness for joining the demonstration and set the tone for the opening lines. Further he states that, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the emancipation proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.” To gain credibility to his speech he alludes to emancipation proclamation. With the use of authority of Lincoln, he establish common ground and trust of the audience.

On August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King made his memorable speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington with 200,000 people watching. King’s speech “I Have a Dream was about injustices of segregation and inequity of African Americans. During the 1900’s racism across the United States was an immense issue. Martin Luther King Jr. was a memorable activist. During this period Africans Americans were not given an equal opportunity to vote, own land, nor were they given a right to education.

First, Pathos. In his first statement he said, “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as “the greatest demonstration for freedom” in the history of US nation.” This statement he has showed that he is there to speaking out for freedom. The speech is one among the few to demonstrate the freedom nation was built upon. Dr. Martin Luther King speech and demonstrations would provoke a change in the minds and the hearts of the American people. He stood up and inspired a nation into action with his words with his speech. He also references the Declaration of Independence to invoke Authority in his case. He quotes, “The “unalienable Rights”, of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” His use of this quote is to use a supreme authority as being on his side. He is stating that the American government has neglected obligation to all of the Americans people. He is setting up his own credibility by tapping into authority of the great American and the Constitution. His use of pathos is incredible as he strikes emotional values of both black and white. He is using the bible to provide a belief in the faith and what he is saying is truth, and that all people will stand together. His use of metaphors throughout his speech keeps his audiences engaged in his fight for freedom. The most significant moment in this speech is when Martin Luther King demonstrated “his dream”. He uses anaphora combined “I have a dream” with powerful expression to

In the year 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a famous speech that will go down in history. This famous speech was titled, “I Have a Dream,” and it targeted a touchy subject at the time, abolishing segregation. During the mid-20th century, racism was one of the most pressing topics in this day in age. African Americans were deemed free under the Jim Crow Laws. However, they were still victims of endless amounts of hatred and torture. Because of this, many civil rights activists and groups started to try to end this terrible time period in history. Within the many groups that began during this time, Dr. King was one of the most influential speakers of this generation. With this, MLK effectively demonstrates a sense of security and emotion through the use of pathos, metaphorical quotes, symbolism, diction, and even repetition.

Throughout his speech, Martin Luther King Jr. gave many examples of ethos, logos, and pathos. In literature, ethos is defined as, “An appeal to ethics, and a means of convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader,” and I believe that the term was applied into his speech. Near the beginning of the speech, in order to make his audience feel like they are fighting along with other well-known Americans, like Abe Lincoln, Martin says, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation” (1). This shows that a great president, who was well known by many, fought for black equality, just like King is, and will make his audience feel as if they are fighting for the same reason as well.

“He Had a Dream” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was a civil rights speaker and activist, who used advanced figurative language and a positive tone to empower and inspire his listeners. On August 28, 1963, during one of the biggest protests for freedom in American history, King was the last of many to deliver an address to the suffering minority of African Americans (Hampson). Dr. King's historic speech about freedom and equality uses an optimistic tone to set a positive mood. On August 28, 1963, pastor and scholar Martin Luther King Jr. delivered one of the most powerful speeches in American history ("I Have a Dream").