Rhetorical Devices Used In Speech To Virginia Convention

In the “Speech at The Virginia Convention” Patrick Henry tries to persuade colonists to fight a war against the English; he does this through several main rhetorical strategies: Rhetorical Questions, Metaphors, and Parallelism. Using these are his best way to convince the colonist that they must go to war to actually be free and become their own nation. Patrick Henry shows rhetorical questions when he states “But when shall we be stronger?... Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?” (Paragraph 4).

Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction?” (Henry 90). The rhetorical questions try to convince the Convention to truly think about starting the war by exaggerating the fact that America will be completely helpless if they do not act before England. Finally, the imagery applied gives the audience a clear view of what the battle will look like if they are not prepared when Great Britain comes. An example of this is when Henry claims that “the next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms” (Henry

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry, one of the crucial motivators of the American Revolution, delivers a speech in the Second Virginia Convention regarding gaining independence from Britain. Henry’s diction, allusions and counterarguments aid in his purpose of making the delegates feel the tyrannical rule by the British and believing in going to war with them is the only option in attaining freedom.

Henry also used many metaphors to give a clear picture to the audience in order to dramatize the current conflict. Toward the beginning of the body of his speech, he called Britain sending troops in response the colonists’ rebellious activities as “war-like preparations” and said they “cover[ed] our waters and darken[ed] our land.” There he compared Britain sending troops to a “cover” or a shadow, making them seem like a heavy burden or threat. This comparison painted them in an ominous and untrustworthy light without Henry directly declaring that the British soldiers were untrustworthy. Later in the speech, Henry compared submission to the to slavery, saying, “It is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission in slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may

“They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging”(2). This metaphor negatively portrays Britain as a master and America is its slave; in conjunction, this also speaks for his tone towards another country as negative compared to his tone regarding America as positive. “Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us”(3). Stating to the delegates a call to action, Henry elucidates that America has three million patriots ready to fight and die for their country to maintain liberty and, because of this, are invincible. There is also a God who help them win their battles because the cause is just. Henry’s display of overflowing trust of American people and the support from an omnipotent being promotes a confident and patriotic response to the delegates in the room thinking that they cannot lose to

The fight for American independence was a long, arduous struggle, but many great literary works aided the battle. One such example is Patrick Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention”. Given in 1775 at the Virginia Provincial Convention, Henry aims to convince listeners of the futility of peace with Britain, and that they should join the efforts for the inevitable war. To accomplish this, Henry uses many different persuasive techniques and rhetorical devices. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech”, Henry uses techniques such as rhetorical questions, allusion, and emotional appeal to convey the point that the United States must rebel against Britain.

Writing to an audience that still lacks the desire to oppose the British, Patrick Henry in his "Speech to Virginia House of Burgesses" focuses on the rights of man and defying oppressors. Through figurative language, rhetorical questions, and diction, Henry heightens the necessity to rise up and fight against the British ruling power over the colonist population in Northern America.

In the last paragraph especially, Henry uses many in a row to build up to the monumental moment. Henry asks the crowd, "What is it that gentlemen wish?… Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery"?(Henry 5). With these strong questions, Henry incites the people to want to fight - to break free of the unfair rule they had been under for too long. Additionally, just as Paine tries to scare his audience with their hypothetical future, Henry tries to scare the people and stir up their emotions using his logical and moving comparisons.

In Patrick Henry 's speech he is addressing the Second Virginia Convention, Henry is trying to convince the colonists that they should be preparing for war if Britain does not meet the colonists demands. Although he emphasizes that he is patriotic towards Britain, he has a different view on how to handle the conflict. Patrick does not immediately discredit the audience but tries to show them a different viewpoint. He references the bible saying, "different men often see the same subject in different lights" (Henry). He then builds his ethos by expressing his religious passion. Henry states "I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery" (Henry), he uses 'it ' to tell the

Effective- Henry uses restatement to stress the importance of the impending war. He feels strongly that a war is needed because the colonists must fight for their freedom. War isn’t only for those who can and will fight, it’s for anyone who wants a better life. The battle is for the brave people, and the ones who are ready for danger, and are active. Because they

In saying this he is trying to prove to the people that they need to change from a “sit-down” attitude to one that will cause them to act, and fight for their freedom. A way Henry relays this same message was with his use of Hypophora when he says, “I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motives for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none.

Henry includes a passionate pathos appeal in his speech to fill the audience with much passion and emotion to make them want to join his fight. Towards the end of his writing, Henry states, “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come!” (Henry 6). This piece of the speech uses a significant amount of emotionally charged language, as well as, emotionally charged punctuation. Through the immense amount of emotionally charged language and punctuation, these statements easily display a pathos appeal. Henry displays this information to ensure his audience knows that these unjust British actions are not going away. He also is including these statements, so that the audience knows that the British are preparing for war, and if the colonists do not prepare, then then Britain is simply going to crush them and going to make matters even worse. At the end of the speech, Henry mentions, “Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms!” (Henry 7). These statements easily display many emotionally charged words, along with a few emotional punctuations that show the use of the pathos appeal. Henry mentions this in his

The prominent patriot Patrick Henry once said, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Henry 7) implying that a life without liberty is not a righteous life. Henry’s quote is included in his popular oratory “Speech to the Virginia Convention.” While discussing with the colonists, Henry lists all of the discrepancies the thirteen colonies had with Great Britain, concluding that there is no other option, but to retaliate instantaneously. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” he utilizes amplifying loaded words and coherent parallelism in order to influence the assembly to unify and reciprocate.

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?” This effectively puts the audience into a panic of a future under the British, luring them more into Henry’s ideas of war. The audience, already hyped from their boosted sense of independence since the beginning of the speech, is now completely vulnerable to Henry’s words.

In Patrick Henry's “Speech to the Virginia Convention”, he states , “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience” (Henry 3). Henry gave this speech on March 23, 1775 at Richmond, Virginia. He recognized that the relationship between the 13 colonies and Great Britain was turning sour. Henry has previous experiences with Britain have lead him to believing that a war is the best decision. Patrick Henry stood before the colonists of Virginia, and gave them a compelling speech of why their relations with England has to change. Patrick Henry gave a homely called “Speech to the Virginia Convention”, in which he utilized persuasive tone and allusion to relay his views of Great Britain to the colonists of Virginia.