Rhetorical Analysis Of Speech At The Virginia Convention

In Patrick Henry’s,“ Speech in the Virginia Convention,” he explains to the President as well as the government at the time on how a war with Britain is completely necessary in order to gain full independence for America. Henry uses a proud tone to inspire his audience, simple and complex sentence structure to convey straightforward details, patriotic and passionate diction to bring an uprising of emotion, and ethos to ethically support the main idea.

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.

In 1775 Patrick Henry gives his “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” in order to persuade the delegates to join the fight for independence against the british by using ethos, logos, and pathos.

Patrick Henry adresses the delegates at the Convention of Virginia (1776) in his speech titled, “Give me Liberty or Give me Death!” Henry develops his claim by speaking candidly with a dramatic tone. He strengthens his credibility through his use and application of a ceremonious diction, and his syntax perfectly fits the occasion. In the speech he hopes to induce delegates into seceding from Great Britain to take arms against the English.

According to Patrick Henry, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Henry 7). Patrick Henry was able to give an outstanding speech at the Virginia Convention, regarding the actions needing to be taken by the colonists. This speech included the criticizing and denouncing of Great Britain, along with the urging of the colonists to fight for independence. This including that the colonists need to become prepared because the unjust actions of the British were not simply going to go away. Henry urges the colonists to fight for the freedom that they rightfully deserve, and he does it extremely well. In Patrick Henry’s ‘Speech to the Virginia Congress’, he demonstrates passionate pathos appeals and rhetorical questioning to persuade the colonists to stand up for themselves and join the fight for their freedom.

During the Revolutionary War, writers and orators publicly revealed their thoughts on how to respond to Britain’s further subjugation of the American colonies. After a futile hope for reconciliation and failed petitions to the British government, several patriots, such as Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry, called for the colonists to take up arms against the British. Through Paine’s Common Sense and Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention”, they displayed an adamant message for the colonies to fight immediately. Both used the rhetorical elements of ethos, pathos, and logos within their respective works, and their various applications to the three elements allowed for their arguments to reach all ears and influence the majority of the population towards the fight for independence.

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.

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.

As with war, peace dissipates and the American people will eventually see the truth. Patrick Henry’s was using the time he had with his speech to essentially declare war against Great Britain. The big difference that came from the two armies was that it looked like Henry wasn’t trying to force anyone to go fight in a war. He was giving the option of fighting rather than forcing the idea onto them. Even though he doesn’t force the American people to fight, he instead inspires people to fight by stating, “Three

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

Patrick Henry, which was known was “the orator of liberty”, was also known from his political speeches. Henry believed that we should go to war against Britain, in his speech that was given at the Virginia Convention. The Virginia Convention took place March 23, 1775. In the following, I will give Patrick Henry’s evidence in Rhetorical Appeals such as logos, pathos and ethos as to why we should go to war.

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.

Context and quote- Henry makes an allusion to Homer’s Odyssey during his speech in the Virginia Convention. “We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts” (81).