Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a very empowering speech in August 28, 1963 and an informative letter in the margins of a newspaper on April 16, 1963. Dr. King took his time to speak out for every African Americans rights, that made him known as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The speech that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wrote “I have a Dream” gives a pathos feel, building ups emotions towards real equality for each and every person, and not just separate, but equal living conditions. It also gives a logos appeal. The speech also called for Civil and Economic Rights. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” that Dr. King wrote was to create a logos appeal and pathos appeal as well. It defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance as he writes his letter to his fellow clergymen.

On August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a famous speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and freedom, this speech was called “I have a dream.” This speech was focused on ending racism and equal rights for African Americans during the civil rights movement. He displays a great amount of pathos, logos, and ethos in his speech. Martin Luther King Jr. displays pathos by targeting the audience’s emotion by talking about his American dream that could also be other peoples too. He shows logos by giving a sense of hope to the people that better things will come in time. Lastly he shows ethos by using authority in his speech by using quotes from two very famous documents.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an extremely impactful activist during the Civil Rights Movement that gave over 2,500 speeches in his lifetime. Of these speeches, his most popular is his famous I Have a Dream speech that he gave on August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. during the March on Washington. Even famous speakers like Martin Luther King, Jr. use persuasive techniques to appeal to the different sides of their audiences. In order to appeal to his predominately African American audience, Martin Luther King, Jr. makes reference to Abraham Lincoln and his granting freedom to slaves by signing the Emancipation Proclamation. King also discusses his personal life, along with his family and children, to show the crowd that he is fighting for the same things as them. In his I Have a Dream speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. used ethos to increase his credibility with his audience, pathos to appeal to his audience’s emotional side, and logos to appeal to his audience’s logical side.

The civil rights movement of 1954-1968 has made a huge impact on the history of African-American equality. All the great leaders of the movement have gone down in history for their courageous work and outstanding commitment to the civil rights movement. One of the most famous of the activists was Martin Luther King Junior (1929-1968) . King is still remembered today for his legendary speech entitled “I had a dream”. Many countries concurred with Luther King and agreed with his ideas because he made a difference for African-Americans and took a stand against racism. Yet the question today, over forty years later is: Was the African-American civil rights movement an overall success? Or is it the same now as it was back in 50’s and 60’s?

Another captivating speaker is reputable Martin Luther King whom enticed a mass public with influential persuasive language. The iconic “I Have a Dream Speech” delivered at the March on Washington—same march John Lewis presented his speech—utilized a somewhat different approach. King’s speech depicted the life that was yearned for by so many. In this dream equality and freedom prevail in his

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. Luther was a charismatic leader who took a firm stand against the oppressive and racist regime of the United States (US), devoting much of his life towards uniting the segregated African-American community of the US. His efforts to consolidate and harmonise the US into one country for all is reflected in many of his writings and speeches spanning his career. As a leader of his people, King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented transparent laws that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. Hence, King’s works always had the recurring theme of the unity and strength of combined willpower. In a similar light, King addressed the speech ‘I have a dream’ to a peaceful mass gathering in Washington asking for change. The speech deemed racial segregation to be an inhumane practice that subdivides society into groups that essentially alienate them from the true sense of humanity; which is brotherhood. King argues that all people are created equal and directly challenged the outdated and abhorrent views that upheld the false flag of racial superiority among White Americans. Luther’s speech was a passionate rhetoric that preached his views about the future. Furthermore his speech did not

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Titled as the “I Have a Dream Speech,” he read this speech to the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. As a civil right mover he gave this great speech to all Americans (black and white) so that he could give off the idea of equality on the same level. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience. King’s dialect showed the audience civil right issues, involving many rhetorical strategies using ethos, logos, and pathos, to a racially tempered crowd whom he viewed as different, but not equal.

By using the rhetorical features, MLK’s speech reached a different level of effectiveness for his audience. Using credibility, authority, trustworthiness and similarity to build a relationship by using evidence, MLK achieved ethos. Then by stating his values and creating imagery achieved but hos vocabulary he effective used pathos. Finally, by his clarity, goals, evidence and consistency, MLK appropriately reached his audience logical and effectively using logos. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his great speeches, accomplishments and his leadership skills, but also for the sincerity of his heart for the freedom and unity of all people. The hope and dream is still valid today in America and Martin Luther King’s paved pathway continues to be built off of and honored today. It is a path we as America can look back on, learn from, and continue to be inspired by today thanks to MLK’s

Martin Luther King’s speech, “I Have a Dream” is vastly recognized as one of the best speeches ever given. His passionate demand for racial justice and an integrated society became popular throughout the Black community. His words proved to give the nation a new vocabulary to express what was happening to them. Martin was famously a pacifist, so in his speech, he advocated peaceful protesting and passively fighting against racial segregation.

During the era of the civil rights movements in the 60s, among the segregation, racism, and injustice against the blacks, Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver one of the greatest public speeches for freedom in that decade. In Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech he effectively uses ethos, diction and powerful metaphors to express the brutality endured by African American people. Yet his most important method of reaching his audience, and conveying his enduring message of equality and freedom for the whole nation was his appeal to pathos. With these devices, King was able to move thousands of hearts and inspire the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Throughout the history of mankind, power has always been exercised on people as a way to suppress civil disobedience. Most of the time, resistance was and is still being produced as a backlash to the exercise of power. Foucault stated that: “Where there is power, there is resistance.” (1998:95) People have used different kinds of resistance to meet brutality such as acquiescence, physical violence and nonviolent resistance as stated by Martin Luther King in his article named “Three Ways of Meeting Oppression“. Our analysis will be mostly based on the justifications of M. L. King in using nonviolence rather than acquiescence or violence along with the examination of some failed cases of nonviolent resistance when the opponent was

“ I have a dream”. This is one of his most well known speeches. He was the one led the march on Washington, he used nonviolent ways to help everyone have equal civil rights. This man was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia and died on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, TN. He was in charge of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr was a very good man he helped people get equal civil rights, he led the march on Washington, and he nonviolently helped get people civil rights.

The Declaration of Independence, The Emancipation Proclamation, and The Constitution all declared everyone of all color to be free ;however, people are still segregated and denied their rights based on the color of their skin. In the speech “I have a Dream” by Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. he persuades his audience to treat everyone (of all color) as equals and to give everyone the rights that they deserve. This speech was the most compelling because there were many rhetorical devices being used which helped emphasize the idea of all men being equal and free. It also emphasized how much he fought to be equal with no hatred in his heart.

was no doubt one of the most influential men of our time. He was not only a civil rights activist, but also a minister, husband to Coretta Scott King, and a father to Martin Luther King III, Yolanda King, Dexter Scott King, and Bernice King. He was most known for his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 and for being a leader in ending legal segregation against African American’s in the south as well as helping to create the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These movements caused a change throughout an entire race and an entire country. Even though King was facing constant death threats it did not stop him from fighting for what he believed in. He continued going to rallies, marches, and also continued to preach for his congregation even as he grew

Inspiration and exuberance were the emotions that people felt as they listened to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s., “I Have a Dream” speech. The momentous speech was delivered on August 26th, 1968, shocking the world with its influential expression of emotion and implication of social injustice. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaims courage to the civil rights activists as he speaks passionately about the need to end racism. In his words he suggests,“This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (King) . Dr. King is insisting that there should be equality between one another.