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Rhetorical Analysis Of The Gettysburg Address

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On November 19, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued a speech labeled the Gettysburg Address. This speech was minimal and only contained two hundred seventy-two words; Lincoln conveyed a message that addressed the soldiers who fought and have been fighting in the American Civil War. He honored them and by giving the speech, he allowed others to view the sacrifices that were made to keep the country safe. Lincoln’s goal was to inspire the troops in battle to not give up and to advance in the war towards the goal of winning and looking forward to the coming end of the war which would happen two years later in 1865. Throughout the speech Lincoln conveys a benevolent tone through his use of repetition, anaphora, and irony. President Lincoln starts the speech with a sentence that addresses the United States expressing the rebirth or new nation. Directly from the start of the speech, he acknowledges a time eighty-seven years prior, “Four score and seven years ago…” (Lilian Goldman Law Library). Relating the speech back to the Declaration of Independence gives the reader a flashback to the beginning of our nation as a whole where all men …show more content…

President Lincoln graciously thanks all of the soldiers and honors them on a portion of the battle field as their final resting place (Lilian Goldman Law Library). He explains that the men at war gave their lives so that the nation could fulfill its life and be free, showing compassion towards the audience. Along with repetition, anaphora, is used. Lincoln presents anaphora when he says, “…we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground (Lilian Goldman Law Library).” This sentence signifies the strong respect for which he has towards the living and deceased

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