Analyzing Rhetorical Strategies In Martin Luther King's Speech

In the beginning of the semester, we learned about many rhetorical strategies such as simile, repetition, and metaphor. Using this information we are able to understand the purposes the historical articles better. One of the speeches we analyzed was “I Have a Dream” from Martin Luther King. In the second paragraph of this speech, King states, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.” I identified this sentence as the rhetorical strategy of declarations, which is a fact. After I have a deeper thought, I learned that the impact of this strategy here is to show the readers that a document was signed to give Negro people freedom. This gives a background information for the readers to understand the purpose of the whole speech. Using the rhetorical strategies, I become a more critical and thoughtful reader.

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When I am explaining the inactivity of Hamlet towards the revenge, I use a critical tone to strengthen my point of view that Hamlet is holding back because he is coward. For example, I state that “at first, he might be doubting about the story told by the ghost. But after he knew … he still held back … ”. Another strategy I included is a short sentence. I use a short sentence of “He must die” to show Hamlet’s determination after Fortinbras’s appearance. In the conclusion, I also include a rhetorical strategy of repetition -- “Hamlet would not realize his hesitation. He would not accept the sword fight and killed Claudius”. The repeat of “would not” here emphasize the effect of Fortinbras to Hamlet. These language decisions help me to compose this effective