Gettysburg Address Rhetorical Analysis
The Use of Language and Rhetoric in the Gettysburg Address
Christopher Warren
Colorado State University Global Campus
February 4, 2023 The Use of Language and Rhetoric in the Gettysburg Address
President Abraham Lincoln delivered a powerful and patriotic speech to his constituents on November 19, 1863, which came to be known as the “Gettysburg Address.” Lincoln delivered few public speeches during his time as president, with his inauguration addresses, the Gettysburg Address, and his final speech on April 11, 1865 (Arthur et al., 2003). Lincoln’s speech barely lasted two minutes, yet it had a lasting impact because it touched on themes of freedom, equality, and the purpose of government, which resonated with his audience (Schnall, 2014).
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In this speech, Lincoln refers to the land on which the Battle of Gettysburg took place and where many soldiers lost their lives as a memorial. The Gettysburg Address was designed to consecrate the hallowed ground where the Union Confederate soldiers had met in battle. According to Lincoln (1973), “we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here” …show more content…
In Douglass’s work, he speaks of the Declaration of Independence and the idea of liberty and freedom for all. According to Douglass (2021), “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me” (p. 8). Douglass is inferring that African Americans are denied the right to equality and uses his writing style and the language of the speech to express that. Like the other political influences in their writings, Lincoln and Douglass allowed the concept of equal rights and liberty to influence their writings.
Conclusion
The Gettysburg Address is an influential and iconic speech by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. It has undeniably affected American history and politics, and its themes of equality, liberty, and democracy continue to resonate today. The speech also served to unify the American people as they faced a devastating civil war. By bringing attention to the importance of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address remains a timeless piece of rhetoric and a cornerstone of American
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