The Gettysburg Address Rhetorical Devices
Coming up this month, we commemorate the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address given on November 19th, 1863. This speech is known and considered as one of the most famous speeches in American history. How could a two minute speech be so highly regarded and enough to be one of the most famous? Abraham Lincoln utilized rhetorical techniques to turn just 10 sentences into one of the most famous and most quoted speeches of all time.
“The Gettysburg Address,” was given by President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 19, 1863, during the American Civil War, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated the Confederacy at the Battle
of Gettysburg (Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address 1-3). President Lincoln speaks of numerous issues that have afflicted the nation for many years directed towards the soldiers still continuing to risk their lives for the country and the rest of Americans that were part of the struggle. He mentions that our founding fathers brought a great nation to the continent that was united and states that the nation is crumbling because of the horrific war. Lincoln dedicated the day to honor the mass of men, old and young that fought and died on the battlefield. Lincoln speaks of the future world not remembering what is said throughout his dedication, but rather remembering it as a day of countless men who died fighting for their rights and beliefs. He requests the nation rise of their support to the war effort, so that the numerous men who died did not die in vain.
In those two minutes, Lincoln was able to deliver enough pathos equivalent to a two-hour speech. Although the situation itself was in fact emotional, he was also able to appeal to the emotion of the audience in the address. At just two years into a war that caused the vast amount of American soldiers’ deaths, the audience was already overwhelmed with grief- possibly even rage- at the disturbing loss of so many people. They were maybe even beat of the prolonged and tiresome war. Lincoln starts with the acknowledgment of this emotional state by mentioning the difficulty even a nation “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” (1890) might have in facing a long, persistent war. He next uses this emotional state as a catalyst to instill hope in that same audience. Lincoln articulately urges the audience to endure the battle for the sake of those who already gave the ultimate sacrifice
“The Gettysburg Address,” was given by President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 19, 1863, during the American Civil War, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated the Confederacy at the Battle
of Gettysburg (Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address 1-3). President Lincoln speaks of numerous issues that have afflicted the nation for many years directed towards the soldiers still continuing to risk their lives for the country and the rest of Americans that were part of the struggle. He mentions that our founding fathers brought a great nation to the continent that was united and states that the nation is crumbling because of the horrific war. Lincoln dedicated the day to honor the mass of men, old and young that fought and died on the battlefield. Lincoln speaks of the future world not remembering what is said throughout his dedication, but rather remembering it as a day of countless men who died fighting for their rights and beliefs. He requests the nation rise of their support to the war effort, so that the numerous men who died did not die in vain.
In those two minutes, Lincoln was able to deliver enough pathos equivalent to a two-hour speech. Although the situation itself was in fact emotional, he was also able to appeal to the emotion of the audience in the address. At just two years into a war that caused the vast amount of American soldiers’ deaths, the audience was already overwhelmed with grief- possibly even rage- at the disturbing loss of so many people. They were maybe even beat of the prolonged and tiresome war. Lincoln starts with the acknowledgment of this emotional state by mentioning the difficulty even a nation “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” (1890) might have in facing a long, persistent war. He next uses this emotional state as a catalyst to instill hope in that same audience. Lincoln articulately urges the audience to endure the battle for the sake of those who already gave the ultimate sacrifice