examples of antithesis in patrick henry's speech
How does Henry's final statement, "Give me liberty or give me death" represent the courage of both Henry and his audience? Henry uses multiple biblical allusions with which his educated audience would be familiar. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer Of course, Henry does not actually suggest that the people take on this action, because he is implying that this kind of action is totally wrong. How does he convey a ironic tone? What is the "if then" statement in this paragraph? Another function of the exordium is to explain the purpose of the speech. They feed, they move around, and some of them can think depending on which movie you are watching. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. 7. An example of slave imagery in paragraph 3 is "they are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains, which the British ministry have been so long forging". (4) The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. This is a rhetorical shift in perspective that helps to prepare his audience. Why does he use the term "ceremony"? "But when shall we be stronger? 14. In this second paragraph of the exordium, Henry works to explain the importance and timeliness of his argument by setting up a contrast between illusions and truth in sentences 8 and 12. And what have we to oppose to them? Why does Henry use this term? That last one, antithesis, is particularly interesting as it factors in so many aspects of our daily lives. Also, antithesis combines two opposing yet not necessarily contradictory ideas with each other. In this second paragraph of the exordium, Henry works to explain the importance and timeliness of his argument by setting up a contrast between illusions and truth in sentences 8 and 12. He appeals to ethos in sentence 53 by saying "we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power." This is intended to arouse the audience by saying that they will be enslaved. MR. PRESIDENT: (1) No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. By eliminating other options he is focusing his argument. In sentence 58, what does Henry mean by "we have no election"? ", -Patrick Henry, in his speech to the Second Virginia Convention, 1775, "No, our motto is, when they go low, we go high. A sentenia is an allusion to a proverb or saying to add credibility to an argument. Because Henry sees the options as slavery (in submitting to Britain) or freedom (in successfully asserting independence), and because Henry refuses to accept this kind of "slavery," the only options left were liberty and death. In this speech Patrick Henry (17361799) uses powerful rhetoric to convince influential, affluent, landed men of Virginia with much to lose to move past their current diplomatic posture opposing British aggression to the more treasonous one of open military preparedness. Ex #1: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" -- Jim . What are examples of anaphora in the "Speech to the Virginia Convention"? What is Henry's response to those who say the colonists are too weak to fight the British? It illustrates the positive qualities of the people fighting in the battle. Find at least one example of hypophora in this paragraph and explain its contribution to Henrys argument. Antithesis in Patrick Henry's speech to the Virginia Convention can be found in its most famous line, Give me liberty, or give me death! This is an example of antithesis because it contrasts two completely opposite conditions, liberty and death. In sentence 7 Henry is asking them to understand that he likewise is compelled to speak based on his own sense of integrity (if he holds back, he would consider himself "guilty of treason"). According to Henry, which will his argument contain and which will it NOT contain? Speech is silver but silence is gold. And if you're interested in the controversy over whether he said "a man" or merely "man," you might enjoy this article. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. Tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament (sentence 40) is synecdoche, representing the British government. 0000001904 00000 n In order to avoid any interference from British troops, the Second Convention of approximately 120 delegates met in Richmond, Virginia, from March 20 through March 27. 24. (12) For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. And he wants the members of his audience to do likewiseto take up arms in defense of American liberty against a power that has so frequently and blatantly violated it. You may choose words, phrases, imagery, or other language elements. 10. 0000000736 00000 n He also wants to let the audience know he is addressing the same people in both sentences. Hypophora is a special type of rhetorical question whereby a question is asked and then answered by the speaker (as opposed to a typical rhetorical question, which is either not answered or has a yes/no answer). The parenthesis is after these things, and Henry is referring to the Colonies attempts at reconciliation. Rhetorical parenthesis is the insertion into a sentence of an explanatory word or phrase. Staking Your Claim By: Andrea Holub Both Abraham Lincoln's, "House Divided" and Patrick Henry's, "Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death" are both powerful speeches that effectively use figurative language, rhetorical appeals, and rhetorical devices. Henry is saying that the British are clearly preparing for war, no matter what they may protest to the contrary, and therefore, the colonists need to be prepared as well. In the second paragraph Henry spoke of the illusions of hope. In sentence 43 he says, There is no longer any room for hope. Why did he use this term again? "If we wish to be freeif we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contendingif we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight!". What is his purpose in first asking if they are "disposed to see not, and hear not" and then stating, "I am willing to know the whole truth: to know the worst, and to provide for it"? Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston!" Henry uses this term again to show and explain how the people cannot dream or imagine hope being so easy to obtain. Latest answer posted September 21, 2016 at 8:05:13 PM. In 1775 unrest bubbled through the American Colonies. Henry uses this allusion in where the colonies are Christ, and the British ministry is the equivalent of Judas. 5. He means that the question under discussion is extremely important with potentially life-changing consequences. This sets up the second major element of antithesis: Henry's famous proclamation, "give me liberty or give me death.". (25) Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Give me liberty or give me death!. He responds with rhetorical questions. Instead of relying on the British to protect their liberties, the Americans must be prepared to fight for themto the death, if necessary. Henry lists several negotiation attempts by colonists and British responses. To see how those effects work, consider these uses of antithesis in famous speeches: "We must all learn tolive togetherasbrothersor we will allperish togetherasfools. In the Text Analysis section, Tier 2 vocabulary words are defined in pop-ups, and Tier 3 words are explained in brackets. By appealing to religion as he calls upon the "majesty of heaven," Henry makes an ethical (ethos) appeal that his audience will understand intellectually and emotionally. Henry believes that the situation is critical enough that any choices in between freedom and slavery are meaningless and the actions taken must be extreme. This shows that their chains are meant for only the Americans to be chained and that the "war is inevitable". "We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated; [we] have implored" He uses the parallel structure to indicate the process by which the Colonies have taken multiple steps to resolve differences. The two clauses of the sentence are parallel because each starts off with an infinitive verb and ends with an adjective ("human" and "divine"). No guts, no glory. Americans began to greatly support his political ideology. (35) We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Henry delivered his 1775 speech at St. Johns Church in Richmond, Virginia. Henry's purpose in using this image in paragraph 3 is to explain that the Colonies failed when they attempted to fight (fight meaning argue) the British that are trying to enslave them. The provenance of the speech notwithstanding, Henrys words provide a rich source to study rhetorical strategies and classical argument, and that study is the focus of this lesson. So, the bottom line is if you want to use antithesis, then try to use parallelism as well. What image does Henry use to convey that the battle has already begun? He says "Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?". However, in my humble opinion, the line doesnt pop. 31. When Henry states "there is no time for ceremony" he means there isn't time for idle talk and people should start to take action. And, if you havent watched the footage, I recommend that you do. There is no longer any middle position that can be adopted; there are only two choices: liberty or death. He again sets up a choice for his audience. Patrick Henry discredits this approach by saying that all these strategies had been attempted in the past. For one thing, poets tend to reveal personal parts of themselves, the parts that are usually hidden in everyday interactions yet are always lurking beneath the surface. He is emphasizing the life changing issue. -To amplify: "the war is actually begun" (sentence 67) Henry finishes this paragraph with an appeal to logic in the form of an "if then" statement. 9.;;0pV#i?mAYw3Y6L~Xe~XPgv31m5Q5^. He contrasts them with fleets and armies. The effect is to highlight the fact that Great Britain does not consider love and reconciliation a viable strategy, since they have responded with fleets and armies, and these should be the last arguments to which kings resort. Henry emphasizes that Great Britain has already taken the matter past the diplomatic phase to the military level. In sentences 70 through 73, Henry uses a series of questions which directly challenge his fellow delegates. Rhetorical parenthesis is the insertion into a sentence of an explanatory word or phrase. Cite evidence from the text. (50) Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? The often-quoted lines from Tennyson's poem, ''The Charge of the Light Brigade,'' illustrate this point . The Convention members consider themselves to be men of integrity and ethics, as Henry acknowledged in sentence 1. There is a sense of intimacy, an opportunity to dive into another persons soul and watch the gears of their mind twist and turn. (Sentence 43-44). This indicates the courage that Henry displays by making the speech and by implication he recognizes the courage that will be necessary for his fellow delegates to take action. In sentence 7 he enumerates his own ethics, stating that he must speak now or be guilty of both treason to his country and disloyalty to the "majesty of heaven." This reaffirms his trustworthiness with his audience. (26) Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? Identify and discuss three main points Henry uses . How does Henry use both parallelism and verb choice (diction) to explain that the Colonies have tried many steps to maintain peace? Consider sentence 42, In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. Identify the parenthesis and Henrys purpose for including it. <]>> Get busy living or get busy dying. (67) The war is actually begun! He states in sentence 68, the next gale will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms., 38. Anyone who is a DC fan knows that the above phrase is from the oath of the Green Lanterns. Convention delegates included slaveholders who would recognize and recoil from this imagery. Even though he is a fellow member of the Convention, he uses a rhetorical shift to explain that what he will say from that point on will be different than that heard before. 12. A specific example of antithesis in his speech is as follows: Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? (46) An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us! Henry uses the term "gentlemen" twice in the first two sentences to show his respect for speakers that have come before him. (36) Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? Major premise [A]: We must either talk or fight to achieve results. What is his purpose in asking these questions? New York: Published by Currier & Ives, c1876. Latest answer posted October 12, 2020 at 12:14:59 PM. Rather than the word of God, which is the lamp found in the Biblical verse, what is the lamp that Henry uses to guide his feet in sentence 13? What is the counterclaim to Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention? A final example is when Henry says "if we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending". In sentence 7 he enumerates his own ethics, stating that he must speak now or be guilty of both treason to his country and disloyalty to the majesty of heaven. This reaffirms his trustworthiness with his audience.