Rhetorical Analysis Of Patrick Henry Speech

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

Thesis Statement: Patrick Henry effectively convinces the Virginia Convention to fight the British through allusions, vivid imagery, and rhetorical questions.

The prominent patriot Patrick Henry once said, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Henry 7) implying that a life without liberty is not a righteous life. Henry’s quote is included in his popular oratory, “Speech to the Virginia Convention”, in which he discusses with the colonists who were under the tyrannical reign of the Crown. Throughout his speech, Henry lists all of the discrepancies the thirteen colonies had with Great Britain, concluding that there is no other option, but to retaliate instantaneous. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” he utilizes amplifying loaded words and coherent parallelism in order to influence the assembly to unify and reciprocate.

Henry is asking his audience if they would rather live a peaceful life of slavery or a life of freedom on their own terms. This rhetorical question is impactful because Henry”s audience is afraid of slavery, they don’t like the idea of being controlled by anyone. They know what the lives of their own slaves are like and they fear being put in that position. This makes the audience want to heed Henry's advice and go to war against Great Britain.

The British government was heavily taxing and oppressing the colonists, who were protesting against this unjust practice. By embellishing his speech with allusions and appeals to emotions, Henry conveys his message that urges independence from Great Britain. At the start of the speech, Henry alludes to Greek mythology, asserting that the colonists “are apt to shut [their] eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms [them] into beasts” (Henry 2). The British government represents the sirens, who are mythical beasts that lure sailors into their demise using their enchanting songs. Henry is pushing the colonists to not be fooled by the lies, or the deceptive songs, of the British government that promises peace and cooperation. Yet after all of the previous calls for reform, Britain has ignored the voices of the colonists. If authority assures something previously rejected, one has the right to be skeptical. Henry further mentions a biblical allusion, the story of Judas, when he pleads, “Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed by a kiss” (Henry 3). Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, kissed Jesus in order to identify who the Roman soldiers should arrest. An act of ultimate betrayal, this treachery leads to the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Like Judas, the British will put up an innocent front yet will be ready to backstab the colonists when they least expect it. Using both of these allusions, classical and biblical, Henry is able to assert his claim that the British government is actually deceiving the colonists and back up his stance on an inevitable revolution. In present-day society, the idea that people have an inalienable right to overthrow their government if the government doesn’t respect the inalienable rights of the people arises from the

The prominent patriot Patrick Henry once said, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Henry 7) implying that a life without liberty is not a righteous life. Henry’s quote is included in his popular oratory “Speech to the Virginia Convention.” While discussing with the colonists, Henry lists all of the discrepancies the thirteen colonies had with Great Britain, concluding that there is no other option, but to retaliate instantaneously. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” he utilizes amplifying loaded words and coherent parallelism in order to influence the assembly to unify and reciprocate.

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.

In the Speech to the Virginia Convention by Patrick Henry, the author uses multiple literary devices and a unifying tone to support his claim for the Americans to go against British oppression and to

In Patrick Henry’s speech, he calls to the people of the Virginia Convention through persuasion and a sense of urgency to arm themselves to fight against the English government if they do not yield to America’s commands. He expressed passion and support to fight for independence against the British. Henry used pathos, ethos, and logos effectively to convince supporters as well as opposers to unite and fight for America's right to freedom. Opening, Patrick Henry begins by defending patriots and showing respect to those who oppose his view. In order to gain trust from his audience, Henry acknowledges the opposers who see the same subject but “in different lights.”

The year was 1775, and King George III was the ruler of the British Empire. His numerous “offenses” against the American colonies had caused an upset within them. The colonies held multiple conventions in which they determined what they would do in retaliation. At the second Virginia convention, one Patrick Henry gave the notoriously famous speech, later named “Liberty or Death”, where he attempted to convince the Virginia delegates to go to war against Britain with the other colonies.

Patrick Henry utilizes rhetorical devices throughout his “Speech in the Virginia Convention” to advocate the fact that the thirteen colonies must approach Britain with violence in order to secede successfully from Britain’s absolute power over Americas independency.

Patrick Henry, born in Virginia in 1736, was a lawyer and great orator, as well as public officer for nearly 30 years, who believed strongly in citizens’ right to bear arms, especially in face of Great Britain’s injustice towards the colonists, and whose speech to the Virginia Convention lead to the persuasion of his delegation and, therefore, participated in the start of the Revolutionary War. (Probst 100) (Colonial Williamsburg Patrick Henry). In his speech, Henry, whose patriotism had lead him to represent his region since 1765, addressed those who did not want to organize a militia for Virginia. (Probst 100) (Henry 102). One of the first and most important arguments Henry makes is that the question of whether or not to organize a

During the 1700s era, King George III constantly persecuted the colonist. He distributed many unjust rulings, taxation without representation, sending soldiers to invade colonial homes and territory, and taking away their basic rights while giving them less freedom than that of the people who live in Great Britain. Many colonists did not agree with the way he was ruling, however, many of them stood by and let it happen. The ones that did not stand by had more forceful tactics of taking care of a problem. The main issue with being inclined to violent thoughts, or nothing at all, is not actually executing a problem to the solution. Patrick Henry, being one of the many leaders of change, delivered a speech towards a solution. Patrick Henry delivered his speech to the 122 delegates and the President on March 23, 1775. This speech took place about 1 month before the American Revolutionary War and about 1 year before the Declaration of Independence. Henry’s speech became the start of a new America. His speech uses allusions, metaphors, and rhetorical questions to emphasize the need to go to war with England.

Patrick Henry, a devoted patriot and wise man fulfilled a position in the Virginia convention. After the Intolerable Acts imposed by King George on the colonies, Americans suffered an unfair rule, where Great Britain took control. In 1775 Patrick Henry introduced a resolution to the Virginia Convention to form the local militia to be prepared to fight the British. In order to gain approvals from his collies, Henry employs rhetorical appeals witch help him urge his purpose and take the lead with the use of an urgent tone witch induces his audience to support his statement towards war.