In the midst of the Civil War and in the wake of the bloodiest battle in American history, where nearly 52,000 Americans lost their lives, and just as many lost their will to fight, Abraham Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address to a crowd of 20,000 relatives of the deceased. Only an afterthought following the main eulogy, Lincoln’s address would go onto be the most celebrated speech in American history. From the first words of his address, Lincoln establishes a reverential, formal tone. He recounts the signing of the Declaration of Independence using a biblical form of counting not common in his day, “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation”. By referring to the framers of the constitution as
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This juxtaposition is an allusion to the Gospels and specifically the famous passage of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The reason behind connecting the soldier’s sacrifice to that of Jesus Christ is an obvious one. Just a few years prior, the second great awakening had roared through the nation, and reignited religious fervor for the first time since the original great awakening. By alluding to Christianity, Lincoln appeals to the audience’s Christian ethos. By comparing Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to the death of those at Gettysburg, Lincoln implies that the Civil War is a righteous cause that needed to be fought if the American way of life were to be …show more content…
Not a single distinction is made between North and South, nor is a victor declared. Instead, Lincoln supplants this with eleven counts of “we” and two counts of “our”. This was done in order to nail down that the purpose of the war was not punish the South for secession, but to reconcile and to reunite the union. Lincoln made it clear that he did not view Southerners as Confederates, but as fellow Americans – brothers.
Intentionally concise, the entirety of the Gettysburg address is a mere 272 words and would have only take two minutes to deliver. Moreover, Lincoln himself thought that the speech was a meek and inadequate, but the brevity of his words makes his balance of simplicity, rhetorical flourishes and powerful diction all the more momentous. Lincoln says a lot, by leaving a lot unsaid. Ironically, the world would “long remember” what was said at Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Address has stood the test of time because it epitomizes the American ethos, it harkens back to American ideals of liberty, equality, and fair representation. It does for us today, the same as it did to those who heard it on November 19, 1863. It reminds us that the night is darkest just before dawn, and emboldens us to press on, even when all hope may seem
This juxtaposition is an allusion to the Gospels and specifically the famous passage of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The reason behind connecting the soldier’s sacrifice to that of Jesus Christ is an obvious one. Just a few years prior, the second great awakening had roared through the nation, and reignited religious fervor for the first time since the original great awakening. By alluding to Christianity, Lincoln appeals to the audience’s Christian ethos. By comparing Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to the death of those at Gettysburg, Lincoln implies that the Civil War is a righteous cause that needed to be fought if the American way of life were to be …show more content…
Not a single distinction is made between North and South, nor is a victor declared. Instead, Lincoln supplants this with eleven counts of “we” and two counts of “our”. This was done in order to nail down that the purpose of the war was not punish the South for secession, but to reconcile and to reunite the union. Lincoln made it clear that he did not view Southerners as Confederates, but as fellow Americans – brothers.
Intentionally concise, the entirety of the Gettysburg address is a mere 272 words and would have only take two minutes to deliver. Moreover, Lincoln himself thought that the speech was a meek and inadequate, but the brevity of his words makes his balance of simplicity, rhetorical flourishes and powerful diction all the more momentous. Lincoln says a lot, by leaving a lot unsaid. Ironically, the world would “long remember” what was said at Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Address has stood the test of time because it epitomizes the American ethos, it harkens back to American ideals of liberty, equality, and fair representation. It does for us today, the same as it did to those who heard it on November 19, 1863. It reminds us that the night is darkest just before dawn, and emboldens us to press on, even when all hope may seem