Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's Speech

"I Have A Dream" is a mesmerizing speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was delivered to the thousands of Americans on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington. Aimed at the entire nation, King’s main purpose in this speech was to convince his audience to demand racial justice towards the mistreated African Americans and to stand up together for the rights afforded to African American under the Constitution. To further convey this purpose more effectively, King cleverly makes use of the rhetorical devices — ethos, pathos and logos — using figurative language such as metaphors and repetition as well as various other techniques e.g. organization, parallel construction and choice of title.

Martin Luther King uses logos in his speech the least but does well to persuade the audience using logic and reason. For example, King compares a bad check to African Americans and the rights they were promised. “America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” He uses this analogy because it’s something everybody has dealt with at some point. In

“I Have a Dream” is a famous speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. He born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, and was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee when he was only 39 years old. He was an American Baptist minister, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. King became a civil rights activist early in his career because Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln and so on influenced him. Plus in October 14, 1964, King got the Nobel Peace Prize for struggling racial inequality through nonviolence. King delivered his well-known “I Have a Dream” speech, which he established his reputation

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the highest regarded civil rights activists in the mid-1900s. His two texts, “I Have a Dream” and “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, were greatly influential on the fight for African American rights. The way that King was able to persuade his audience, and preserve his their attention, was through using logos and pathos. Logos use a clear line of reasoning supported by evidence, and pathos use charged language in order to prod at the listener’s emotions. In his two pieces mentioned above, King uses these appeals in different areas and to different extremes.

Martin Luther King Jr. built his speech around fighting unjust conditions placed on both African Americans and soldiers of the Vietnam war with non-violent protest. King is arguably the best speaker the world has seen, he knows how to get his audience passionate about the problems America faces while also informing them of what causes these problems.

Racism & inequality has been a problem in the United States for many years. In August of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a dream” speech to address some of these known issues. By utilizing allusions that create credibility and reasoning & strong anaphora that establishes logic and an emotional connection, MLK successfully conveys his message of giving hope to black Americans that there will be new beginnings & that he wants Congress to initiate a civil rights bill while Americans should fight for the rights of all people in peaceful ways. In the first half of the speech, MLK discusses the past & present injustices in America while advocating for peaceful protests. King starts off by using a logo filled allusion as shown.

The speech as a whole, establishes a logos because African Americans are human just like Whites, and should not be mistreated due to their skin color. Appearances should have an effect on your basic human rights. A clear mind with no sense of haterade would agree that it is imperative that every citizen in a free country should have the equal rights.

Logos means reason. Martin Luther King Jr. uses logos to show why he is delivering this speech and why he wants things to change. He is delivering this speech to show how many blacks and other races, that weren’t being treated equally, really didn’t have freedom like they should. “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro.” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 6) “Instead of honoring the sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 5) These quotes are just a couple of the logos quotes Martin Luther King said in his speech.

Early in the speech Martin Luther King Jr demonstrates logos. He clearly states, many logical examples,he starts by imaging himself in different centuries going back to different areas like Mount Olympus, where he would see Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides and Aristophanes where he would watch them gather around to discuss real issues. First he went on to say that he would go to the Roman Empire to see the development of leaders and emperors. Second he’d go on to the Renaissance to see the what this time period did for the cultural and aesthetic life of man. Then would go on to see the men tack on the ninety five theses onto the church of Wittenberg. But then he wouldn't stop there, he would go on to 1863 to see President Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. He said lastly he would go on to see the early thirties to see a man grappling on bankruptcy. As he goes on he uses the quote “we have nothing to fear but fear itself”. He uses logos really well on a showing that the nation is sick and trouble is in the land and confusion all around. He quotes “But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men, in some . strange way, are responding.” which takes him back to saying that the world is changing in every which way.

Obviously, Dr. King wants to make the point that if America is going to be the great country it's known to be, then all men in every state, from the east to the west needs to be given the equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, despite the color of their skin.

Dr. Martin Luther King was a highly respected leader in America. He was a clergyman, public speaker, and leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Being this well-known in a community, can affect people’s opinions or views on subjects. Martin Luther King’s speech on the Vietnam War hindered the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech hindered the Civil Right Movement due to the fact that he tried to back up his argument with inaccurate evidence and claims.

In a period of time where few were willing to listen, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood proudly, gathered and held the attention of over 200,000 people. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech was very effective and motivational for African Americans in 1963. Many factors affected Kings’ speech in a very positive manner; the great emotion behind the words, delivering the speech on the steps of the memorial of the President who defeated slavery. And not only was this message beautifully written for the hope of African Americans, but the underlying message for white people, revolution and peace. To stimulate emotion from both parties of his listeners, King used a selection of rhetorical devices such as allusions to historical

On August 28th, 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr stood on the steps in front of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. He spoke passionately for 17 minutes on his views about human equality for African Americans at one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in history. King played a major role in ending the segregation for African Americans. His rhetorical language left an impact on America. Through his use of appeals like ethos, logos, pathos, and other rhetorical techniques. He influenced Americans to believe in the notion that all men are created equal.

In 1963, minister and rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech in front of Lincoln memorial to bring awareness to the unfairness of injustice for black people. King's speech was an effort to try and mandate the coming together of the black and white race and finally have the equality between us all be put into force for a free nation. As the speech left King’s mouth and entered 250,000 citizens ears, it left them to think about what point he was trying to make because he uses pathos, logos, and ethos.

“[The] Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation,”.stated Martin Luther King, Jr. in his speech “I Have A Dream,”.which he gave on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, during a march on Washington (1).King’s purpose in his speech was to expound on the need for change in civil rights, especially for black Americans. By utilizing repetition, an extended metaphor and light and dark imagery,King connects logically and emotionally to his audience to evoke a sense of power to overcome racism.