preview

Rhetorical Analysis Of The King's Speech

Good Essays

Most have seen the 2010 film, The King’s Speech, known for it’s numerous incidents preceding King George VI’s first wartime broadcast. Many knew of his personal anxiety surrounding his speech impediment and usurping of the throne; however, this representation of historical rhetoric goes beyond a simple Colin Firth film. On September 3, 1939, King George VI of the United Kingdom gave an address to the nation, describing the unfortunate involvement of it’s people in another war and why they stood in such a state. Through the use of argumentation, addressing his audience appropriately, and handling his speech defect efficiently in delivery, King George VI calls on the ethos, pathos, and logos of his subjects, effectively presenting his arguments for going to war with Germany.
From the very start of his address, King George VI identifies his audience and his relationship with them, building a sense of trust and mutual duty. To call on their pathos - an appeal to emotion by distortion of factual evidence (Wright) -, King George also tries to establish a personal connection through unity for the upcoming war effort among his subjects. He calls for all citizens to act with their personal, physical, and emotional strength, showing his faith in the abilities of the British. The address calls them to remember the last World War that they fought valiantly in by stating “or the second time in the lives of most of us we are at war.” This also reiterates in the people’s minds that

Get Access