Antithesis - The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write It * How to He delivered it on July 5, 1852 to the women of the Rochester Anti-Slavery Sewing Society--and in that speech youll find a number of striking examples of antithesis. Henry's use of antithesis is particularly skillful, as it simplifies the matter at hand to such an extent that subtlety and nuance are no longer options. He sees no middle ground between a war for freedom from Great Britain or being ground down under the heel of tyranny. "We have no election" (Par. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer antithesis example Judging the future by the past; freedom or slavery metaphor - A figure of speech that uses one thing to mean another and makes a comparison between the two. 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). However, one could argue that Patrick Henry's speech is more effective due to the fact he clearly uses different elements better in his speech. Do you know Patrick Henry's famous line that owes its zip to antithesis? Henry uses this transition to shift the perspective from what has been heard to the ideas that he feels need to be discussed. Henry is implying that not seeing or listening to his argument will lead to destruction. In the question above, the British assembly of "fleets and armies," instruments of war, is antithetical to ideas of "love and reconciliation." How does he convey a ironic tone? In addition, Henry is hoping to imply that since he is also a member of the Convention that they will give him and his ideas the same respect. He again sets up a choice for his audience. repetition like: we must fight! (15) And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves, and the House? 4. 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. He states in sentence 44, If we wish to be free [then] we must fight! Log in here. It is taken from a soliloquy by the main character as he contemplates his next move. Staking Your Claim, Final Draft.pdf - Staking Your Claim Give an example of an "illusion of hope" that Henry suggests in this second paragraph. Its like having a boat with a strong motor, but then you shut off the motor and hope the current will be strong enough to take you where you need to go. Anyway, one reason this phrase has been immortalized is its use of antithesis. As a result, in addition to referring to a literary device, antithesis also means that something is the opposite of something else. How does Henry shift from a ironic tone back to his urgent argument? Many other members of the convention want to remain humble and respectful towards Britain and negotiate a treaty. Metonomy and synecdoche are special types of metaphors. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. 0000008014 00000 n
This is intended to arouse the audience by saying that they will be enslaved. 36. Henry begins the second sentence with "but" to show he is continuing his previous thought. He is appealing to the ethical integrity of his audience by articulating their earthly and heavenly responsibilities. "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. (67) The war is actually begun! 8. (56) There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. There is no longer any middle position that can be adopted; there are only two choices: liberty or death. It's not a show, friends; it's show business. (73) Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? In sentence 3 what does Henry mean when he says, this is no time for ceremony? xb```"Veah`0-:ov;gatI\$KID)n'*,2DUHCxbKZKbA%>H2Xf`XKt|yN*0cn{ Y@ 0
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(74) Forbid it, Almighty God! It tells us that a Green Lanterns duty is to fight evil during the best of times and the worst of times. He uses rhetorical strategies and appeals to further develop his argument, making sure that each item is contextualized from the Colonial perspective. Those who can, do; those who can't do, teach. ", "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Henry uses multiple biblical allusions with which his educated audience would be familiar. Identify the three parts of his syllogism (Major premise [A], Minor premise [B], and Conclusion), citing evidence from the text. 0000005605 00000 n
To really get a feel for antithesis and to see how common it is in everyday life, here are a few common sayings and expressions that rely on this literary device. 6. By now, I hope you see how common antithesis is. Henry is saying that to listen to this call, this illusion of hope, even though it is tempting, will prove fatal and transform the Convention into something unable to reason and act (beasts). Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. (sentences 30, 31, and 32). On the one hand, these are supposedly decaying corpses that belong six feet under. Why does he use this phrase? -To restate: "Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace." Complete the sentence in a way that shows you understand the meaning of the italicized vocabulary word. Here are some examples of antithesis used in everyday speech: Go big or go home. 0
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. For more information about syllogisms, see Understanding Syllogisms. Henry finishes this paragraph with an appeal to logic in the form of an "if then" statement. But different men often see the same What was the purpose of the "Speech to the Virginia Convention"? (66) Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. How does Henry's final statement, "Give me liberty or give me death" represent the courage of both Henry and his audience? Henry seeks to engage his audience by showing his respect for them. Frederick Douglasss powerful speech, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro," is built on juxtaposition. When Henry uses solace, he says "And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British Ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the house." Since Judas betrayed Christ, Henry is alluding to the British Ministry betraying the colonies. Siren calls are alluring and hard to resist even if expected, but they can be deadly. i repeat it, sir, we must fight. (60) There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Henry's Striking Speech. PDF Speech in the Virginia Convention - Weebly In sentence 29 Henry states, They [the armies and fleets] are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. He wishes to continue the image of slavery to explain that the Colonies have used argument to combat the attempts of the British to enslave them, but these efforts have failed. (43) There is no longer any room for hope. 9.;;0pV#i?mAYw3Y6L~Xe~XPgv31m5Q5^. (47) They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. Interestingly, the very next lines, the ones that explain what Hamlet meant by to be or not to be also use antithesis. Another function of the exordium is to explain the purpose of the speech. Even when were not aware of it, were using many of the same rhetorical techniques Aristotle, Cicero, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass. 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. Where is antithesis in Patrick Henry's speech to the Virginia In this lesson students will deconstruct Patrick Henrys famous speech to explore the tools of effective persuasion, including appeals, rhetorical strategies, and classical argument. Henry states, "We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth" (2). 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? What purpose does Henry establish, and to what is he appealing in order to emphasize this purpose? 29. . He believes the British represent Judas and that while they will appear brotherly to the Colonies they will betray, leading to Colonial downfall. He also wants to let the audience know he is addressing the same people in both sentences. "Where is antithesis in Patrick Henry's speech to the Virginia Convention?" He is presenting his opinion but at the same time respecting the speakers before him. Henry writes this in Virginia, yet still uses the pronoun "our" when talking about disputes in Boston, connecting Virginia to Boston because the southern colonies objected to take up arms against England. He makes it sound like the colonists really only have a choice between liberty and death, so which will they choose? Thus, there are only two options left: success or failure in war against Britain. He clearly indicates that he chooses the second option. (8) Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. 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. Juxtaposition means to put two elements side by side, often for comparison. Henry continues to use gentlemen in this paragraph. (4) The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. The lamp is experience. xref
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. Then, in sentence seven, he introduces his own ethics and how he must be loyal to his country and to God. This was intended to arouse the audience because Henry states that they will be betrayed by the British. For each of your examples explain how they are intended to arouse Henrys audience. Speech Analysis: Speech in the Virginia Convention By using the parenthesis he connects those failed attempts to the end of the hope of peace and reconciliation.. He is moving his audience away from the position of illusive hope that they may have held at the beginning of his speech toward another position. Henry first mentions slavery in paragraph one when he contrasts it with freedom. Sententia, especially useful in speeches, is an argumentative device that uses sound to sum up an argument. Antithesis, broadly defined, means juxtaposing opposing ideas. What does "give me liberty or give me death" mean? In the Text Analysis section, Tier 2 vocabulary words are defined in pop-ups, and Tier 3 words are explained in brackets. Rhetorical parenthesis is the insertion into a sentence of an explanatory word or phrase. trailer
The Convention members consider themselves to be men of integrity and ethics, as Henry acknowledged in sentence 1. Why does he use this phrase? Statue of Patrick Henry, Richmond, Virginia. (an-TIH-theh-sis): Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences. Cite evidence from the text. Patrick Henry is not speaking in the Virginia House of Burgesses [the state legislature] in Williamsburg because it had been dissolved the year before by Royal Governor Dunmore. He states in sentence 68, "the next gale will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms.". Henry begins this paragraph with another Biblical allusion, "one lamp by which my feet are guided" (Psalms 119:105). Antithesis is defined as a particular kind of literary device that organizes sentence structure in such a way that the sentence presents two opposing ideas in a grammatically parallel way. Its me, Marcel. ", -Martin Luther King, Jr. in a commencement address at Oberlin College in June 1965, "I know not what course others may take: but as for me,give me liberty or give me death. Patrick Henry, the famous American Patriot, uttered the above words during a speech he gave, highlighting the main objective behind the American Revolution and explaining the lengths they were willing to go to. What would they have?". Logos In Patrick Henry's Speech. (63) The war is inevitable and let it come! Antithesis is not opposition to creating a thesis as part of an academic program, though we sympathize if you are, in fact, anti-thesis in pursuit of that masters degree. Rhetorical Device of the Month: Antithesis - Buckley School of Public When its cold outside, Ive got the month of May. Henry does this in sentences 11 and 12. How, in this sentence, does Henry suggest that his listeners can trust him? He wants the listeners to understand that there are only two options; freedom, which he is advocating, or slavery, which he knows these proud, wealthy men, many of whom are slaveholders, will not tolerate. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. (sentences 26 and 27). In asking these questions Henry's purpose is to encourage the listener and emphasize his point. While most argue optimistically about reconciliation with Britain, Henry argues that such a position is impossible. Patrick Henry and "Give Me Liberty!" - Lesson Plan - America in Class He states that it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope but in the last sentence of the paragraph he clearly says he will not do that he will know the whole truth. His argument will contain truth but will not contain illusions. in. Patrick Henry's Speech Against The Tumultuous States Of The Colonies (27) No, sir, she has none. This was an either/or choice with nothing in between, and a traitor's death was quite likely if the patriot efforts failed. Put differently, every time you use antithesis, you are juxtaposing two opposing ideas, but every juxtaposition does not have to be an antithesis. (Sentence 42-43). What argument does he anticipate and what two rhetorical strategies does he use to refute it? In a second example, King uses antithesis in the following: I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the. 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). (50) Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Henry uses the word hope several times in this speech. He wants to be seen as respectful in order to get his message across more clearly. In sentence 5, when Henry states, "I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery," he commits a logical fallacy. How does Henry use both parallelism and verb choice (diction) to explain that the Colonies have tried many steps to maintain peace? -To inspire: "Give me liberty or give me death" (sentence 75). Most of the British military action to this point had occurred in and around Boston. If I were forced to write out exactly what Armstrong meant with his quote, it would be something like this. Henry uses multiple biblical allusions with which his educated audience would be familiar. What does he contrast? He reminds his audience that he, like them, is a believer and is trustworthy. Henry used not only rhetorical devices but also the strategies of classical argument, making a potentially confusing situation simple and straightforward as he attempted to move all his fellow delegates toward the same result. (26) Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? The Convention members consider themselves to be men of integrity and ethics, as Henry acknowledged in sentence 1. Henry displays an idea that the American people should fight back against the British. Most of the British military action to this point had occurred in and around Boston. Avec un partenaire, jouez les deux roles. (39) Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. This comparison is explaining how the king will draw them in as well as forcing them into transforming their country if they chose to listen to his actions. The story of the sirens, is that on an island, women would sing songs that would cause men to see them as beautiful women and go to them. This is a persuasive speech, one intended not only to present an argument but also to persuade the audience to act. Wirt drew upon materials collected beginning in 1808, including interviews with those who knew Henry and those who were present when the speech was delivered. The students version, an interactive PDF, contains all of the aboveexceptthe responses to the close reading questions and the follow-up assignment. What does he contrast? Find at least one example of hypophora in this paragraph and explain its contribution to Henry's argument. Michelle Obama's use of antithesis has given us one of the most memorable lines from a recent speech. In sentence 75, probably the most famous sentence from this speech, Henry uses antithesis to set up a clear contrast. (59) If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. His last question,"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?" In paragraph 4 Henry uses procatalepsis, an argumentative strategy that anticipates an objection and then answers it. 18. Latest answer posted September 21, 2016 at 8:05:13 PM. What is its purpose? They are used in Patrick Henry's extemporaneous speech "Give Me Liberty, or Give me Death." Henry, a revolutionary leader, made this speech at the meeting of the Virginia convention on March 23, 1775. (29) They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry has been so long forging. 0000001077 00000 n
Speech to the Second Virginia Convention. Rhetorical Analysis of Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia The main point of the "if then" statement in paragraph 3 explains that if they want independence, then they have to fight. What is the if then statement in this paragraph? (22) Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. Identify the parenthesis and Henry's purpose for including it. 22. He was married twice, the first was in 1754 to Sarah Shelton, who later passed away in 1775 to what was believed to be postpartum psychosis. 34. Asyndeton is a series of phrases or words with conjunctions deleted. The Convention members consider themselves to be men of integrity and ethics, as Henry acknowledged in sentence 1. In this lesson you will look at Patrick Henrys speech and analyze his methods for convincing his fellow members of the Virginia Convention to take a military stance against the British. Patrick Henry, former governor of Virginia, bravely spoke on the 23rd of March, 1775, at St. John's Church, introducing his strategies to end the American Revolution in victory. What image does Henry use to convey that the battle has already begun? Patrick Henry, former governor of Virginia, bravely spoke on the 23rd of March, 1775, at St. John's Church, introducing his strategies to end the American Revolution in victory. Resenting this British interference with local government, the members of the House of Burgesses regrouped as a state convention. For each of your examples explain how they are intended to arouse Henry's audience. What are examples of anaphora in the "Speech to the Virginia Convention"? However, the parallelism in this latter example is not as clear-cut as the earlier phrase. In a synecdoche, part of an element substitutes for the whole (for instance, farm hands means farm laborers). Henry continues to use "gentlemen" in this paragraph. The teachers guide includes a background note, the text analysiswithresponses to the close reading questions, access to the interactive exercises, and a follow-up assignment. For an electronic version of Wirts book, visit this link: Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry. Patrick Henry, speech to the Virginia Convention, 1775. Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?". 28. Our chains are forged! The speech was so inspiring that it ignited a massive flame of patriotism. Henry shifts tone in the beginning of this paragraph to irony, the use of language that conveys the opposite of the intended meaning. The use of rhetorical analysis is very useful to make works appealing and contribute effectively to the author's purpose. Even when were not aware of it, were using many of the same rhetorical techniques Aristotle, Cicero, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other greats haveemployedin public speaking.