gettysburg address

Austin Pliler

October 14, 2009

English 150

Rhetorical Analysis

Gettysberg Address

The Gettysburg Address was given on November 19, 1863. It was on that Thursday afternoon that President Lincoln gave one of the most famous speeches of all time. Lincolns’ natural physical appearance, presentation, as well as the fact that the speech itself would have fit neatly on a post-it-note may have been reasons that it is so remembered or revered. Or perhaps it was the important timing of the speech in the nation’s history. Whatever the case may be to use the words of Senator Charles Sumner "The world noted at once what he said, and will never cease to remember it”.(showcase.net, pg 1)

In seeing the President Lincoln you may think him intimidating at first. Standing at 6’3½”, and having the added height from his famous top hat, this giant man made it easy to follow him by his physical appearance alone. I think that whenever he gave a speech or went anywhere his rhetorical value would automatically be higher than a less height-gifted man. In modern society a good presentation. Presentation can make or break a deal, get you a job, and even allow you to date someone’s daughter. The ability to speak fluently and motivationally while knowing , or atleast pretending to know, what you are talking about about is a huge part of your ethos and credibility in giving a speech. Lincoln I think did this stupendously. He was able to inspire and convince a nation of a cause in less words than you can find on a cereal box. I believe that this is accomplished by the pathos in which he spoke of the cause. Lincoln was president during the bloodiest time in the nation’s history, and I believe that he couldn’t help feel responsible for it. I am sure that his emotions were high standing before that great battleground and looking out across the field.

The shortness of the speech is considered by some that it was so important. It showed that there was not much he could say about what went down during that battle. The guy previous talked for two plus hours while Lincoln spent mere minutes on his speech. I do not think that it would have the same affect if his speech took hours as well. Whether or not it was done intentionally I don’t know, but it sure had a lasting affect on lots of people.

As said before, the civil war was one of the most violent and bloody of all time. It depleted the countries recourses, ended hundreds of thousands of lives, and left most of the country destitute and hopeless. I think that in his speech, Lincoln was able to inspire and lift up, making extremely moving and full of remembrance. To quote from the address, “ We can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not 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 can never forget what they did here.”

The Gettysburg address was an extremely moving and history changing speech. I think that through President Lincolns presentation, his physical height of persuasion, and the point at which the speech was given is the reason that it will be remembered for many years to come.