Patrick Henry’s Urgency and Patriotism
Patrick Henry is a patriotic politician who strongly feels that America should become defensive against the British in the events leading up to what develops into the American Revolution. In this particular oration, “Speech in the Virginia Convention,” Henry speaks with the intent of creating a sense of urgency and encouraging patriotism among the American people. Pathos, powerful diction, and repetition enable Henry to successfully convince a majority to form a Virginian militia and generally treat the British as an enemy. A vital part of the success of Henry’s address is its incorporation of repetition and passionate diction; these two elements work together to create a sense of urgency in the people …show more content…
He encourages listeners to “fulfill the great responsibility which [they] hold to God and [their] country.” By telling the people that agreeing with him is essentially their duty to their country, Patrick Henry appeals to the emotions of the American patriots who already believe in the strength of America as a nation. Additionally, he states that fighting against the British is the people’s duty to God. This assertion is important because the majority of his audience at the time is strongly religious and, whether or not they care about fulfilling their obligation to America as a country, they all have a desire to satisfy their religious responsibilities. These appeals to pathos overall convince listeners on some level or another that what Henry is stating is incredibly important and necessary. In a similar way, Henry brings up religion in another sentence, mentioning that “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.” This idea truly brings out patriotism in the people. The politician states that, if brought together as a religious and patriotic group, the American people can do anything for the good of their country. He is essentially saying that there should be no fear of failure so long as
Patrick Henry is a patriotic politician who strongly feels that America should become defensive against the British in the events leading up to what develops into the American Revolution. In this particular oration, “Speech in the Virginia Convention,” Henry speaks with the intent of creating a sense of urgency and encouraging patriotism among the American people. Pathos, powerful diction, and repetition enable Henry to successfully convince a majority to form a Virginian militia and generally treat the British as an enemy. A vital part of the success of Henry’s address is its incorporation of repetition and passionate diction; these two elements work together to create a sense of urgency in the people …show more content…
He encourages listeners to “fulfill the great responsibility which [they] hold to God and [their] country.” By telling the people that agreeing with him is essentially their duty to their country, Patrick Henry appeals to the emotions of the American patriots who already believe in the strength of America as a nation. Additionally, he states that fighting against the British is the people’s duty to God. This assertion is important because the majority of his audience at the time is strongly religious and, whether or not they care about fulfilling their obligation to America as a country, they all have a desire to satisfy their religious responsibilities. These appeals to pathos overall convince listeners on some level or another that what Henry is stating is incredibly important and necessary. In a similar way, Henry brings up religion in another sentence, mentioning that “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.” This idea truly brings out patriotism in the people. The politician states that, if brought together as a religious and patriotic group, the American people can do anything for the good of their country. He is essentially saying that there should be no fear of failure so long as