Rhetorical Analysis Of Lincoln's Speech In The Gettysburg Address

This speech uses parallel structure and determines the tone of powerful tranquility so that it may convey to an idea that all the men that fought for their part in the Union will not perish in vain and that there is a lot to do before the United States is whole. The purpose of his speech was to rally the people and to focus their attention on the need to win the war so that the ideals of the founding fathers would be upheld. As Lincoln stated "...That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Comparing to the ideas of the founding fathers, he relates to government and democracy and with these two things the Union will achieve their goal. He wished to raise morale of the soldiers and wanted to ensure that the people that were listening would eventually understand why they were in this big mess and that the nation cannot be divided again.

The rhetorical element of emotion was especially vital to the address of former President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy’s emotion presented the whole free world with a responsibility to spread freedom, justice, and to rid the world of evils. In addition, he calls upon the American people to stand strong as the backbone of the attempt to win the “long twilight struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war.” Kennedy wanted the people to be reenergized about defending freedom, a hallmark of American society. To do so, he looks to this country’s past and how each generation of Americans have been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. His intentions were to stir up patriotism; make Americans realize that almost all of the previous generations have, at one time or another demonstrated their loyalty to the freedoms we all know and love.

Lincoln gives the audience a recap of the foundation of which the country was founded on liberty and equality. This is a perfect footing for the next sentence of the speech: “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure” ("The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln”). Lincoln indicates that a challenge must be faced head on and that the p... ... middle of paper ... ...ation of Independence and associated the sacrifices of the Civil War with a desire for a new birth of freedom, as well as the preservation of the United States of America and its principle of self-government. In the years to follow, the Gettysburg Address would endure as perhaps the most-quoted, most-memorized piece of oratory in American history. Works Cited "Gettysburg Address."

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” These admirable words make up the first sentence that Abraham Lincoln recited in ‘The Gettysburg Address’. This first sentence reminded the crowd of our founding fathers vision (“The Gettysburg Address”) for the nation, a vision of freedom and equality that would be the cornerstone of The United States. Lincoln portrayed The Civil War as a test, a test that would see if the nation could endure the constant struggles and stay afloat, coming... ... middle of paper ... ...erately needed for the country and Lincoln provided that need. Abraham defined for the North, and for all Americans, the meaning, value, and price of freedom (“The Gettysburg Foundation”). Abraham’s goal was to remind people what being an American stood for and being that he was president, people looked up to him and admired his words that much more.

A Great Passion for Equality With America struggling in a state of Civil War, the nation's very core was being shaken. Abraham Lincoln, who was president during this period, realized this, and delivered one of his most historically renowned speeches, "The Gettysburg Address". This speech addresses many concerns for the nation as a whole. Through "The Gettysburg Address", Lincoln clearly states his views on what the country once was, how it was during the time he was in, and what his hopes and dreams for the future were. When the United States was founded, it was founded on a very famous principle, that “all men are created equal.” Lincoln realized this and stated that this nation was “dedicated to the proposition that all men were created equal.” Our nation founded itself on this simple thought because its people were tired of the tyranny and oppression caused by rule under Great Britain.

The first sentence of The Gettysburg Address ends with the wise words, “all men are created equal” (Lincoln 601). This serves as an allusion to the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln implants logos through this allusion because he presents the principle foundation of America. This proposition that holds the right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” reminds Lincoln’s audience that their nation was created because of such beliefs that must be preserved ("The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription”). This rhetorical technique meritoriously convinces the nation that, in order to have such rights, they must fight for freedom and equality as a union.

He is trying to establish a purpose where the Union needs to succeed and cannot perish before the country is whole again. The Gettysburg Address was written in a form that was meant to show his audience what had happened at Gettysburg; one of the bloodiest and goring battles of the war; and was meant to convey his idea of our nation, and address the people about the peace and sacrifices that have been made so that the war would come to end and the that the nations success would not go down in vain. The purpose of his speech was to rally the people and spread his idea to the nation; to represent that the ideas that encircled the documents written by the founding fathers, and not let their imposing deaths go in vain. In the text, Lincoln begins to state, “That government of the people, by the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Lincoln translates the morals once taught by the founding fathers; government and democracy will... ... middle of paper ... ... parallel structure not only are represented without restraint, but they were conveyed in respected manners of the viewer’s bias and were therefore abiding. The purpose and main ideas of the Gettysburg Address was to honor the brave soldiers that fought in the blood battles, and complete their task that was not finished.

In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln stated that all men are created equal. He was restating the beliefs of Thomas Jefferson when Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln was trying to explain to us that unity plays a major role in our lives. Just as Jefferson stated many years previously, we must treat all men as our brothers in order to keep the American society united. Lincoln also stated that a great civil war is something that is very difficult for a nation to endure.

World leaders have reputations for changing the lives of many people. A good leader should be ready to sacrifice anything for his people and fight for their rights, as well as guiding them both politically and ethically. Those who have made a difference in the world by fighting for a cause will forever be remembered in their nations. Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy are certainly great leaders, who made momentous contributions to the society of the United States. Another world leader whom I think is important is Abraham Lincoln, because he played a pivotal role in preserving the Union during the Civil War and beginning the process that led to the end of slavery in the United States As well as being known for his presidency and his leadership through the Civil War, Lincoln was also known for his letters and speeches and his character.

Their target was not only unity but also the equality between every individual. Obama’s speech – ‘Inaugural Address’ is a great evidence of how he follows Abraham Lincoln’s footsteps. It also can be seen from Lincoln’s ‘First Inaugural Address’, ‘Second Inaugural Address’ and ‘The Gettysburg Address’. Although, there are differences between the eras that two presidents have lived, such as Cold War, racism and slavery, the important issue is that, they both struggle for the same problems. Both of them think first about their citizens and nations and yet, can be easily considered as heroes for their citizens.