Pathos In The Gettysburg Address

“Four score and seven years ago….” (Lincoln 27), is the beginning to one of the most well-known speeches by one of our nation’s presidents, Abraham Lincoln. During Lincoln’s terms as President, America was fighting in the Civil War. President Lincoln used pathos, repetition and allusion in the Gettysburg Address, to persuade Americans to keep fighting and to carry on the fight that their loved ones lost their lives for. In this speech, you will hear President Lincoln use pathos to explain his emotions such as sorrow, disappointment, etc., towards the Civil War. Then we will see how Lincoln uses repetition to reinforce his claim to his views on the war and that those who fought did not die in vain, they died fighting for our freedom. Lastly, …show more content…
Lincoln tries to illustrate his sorrow by saying “it is rather we dedicate to the great task before us that from these honored dead we take increased devotion” (Lincoln 27). This brings a valid argument, because those who have loved ones now wanted to fight even harder to continue the battle for those who had lost their lives on the battle grounds. This can also tell us that President Lincoln was also disgusted with slavery because he says “… all men are created equal.” (Lincoln 27) With that being said, Lincoln’s belief was that whether you are black or white, everyone should be free. Repetition was used by President Lincoln to tell American’s that we cannot change the past and states “we cannot dedicate- we cannot consecrate- we cannot hallow- this ground.” (Lincoln 27) This is to show that American’s who died in the fight did not die in vain but they died to ensure that “…all men are created equal.” (Lincoln 27) Lincoln knew that what was being said on that day in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, would not be remembered however the battle that took place will forever live on. Critics made fun of this speech when it was given, but now it is known as one of America’s greatest