Pericles Vs. Obama Compare and Contrast Essay Throughout both Pericles’s and Obama’s speeches it is proven that they share multiple common themes, for example: both beloved leaders would constantly appeal to the audience, often complementing the military and their hard work done for the country. Although both speeches have many common themes they also have their differences. Some of which I will be talking about later on in the essay.
In Pericles speech, Pericles’ Funeral Oration from the Peloponnesian War, it was extremely evident that he was not afraid to boast about their military excellence, and the excellence of his people in general, “...at Athens we live exactly as we please, and yet are just as ready to encounter every legitimate …show more content…
In this passage Pericles is insulting the Lacedaemonians, people of Sparta; as well as bragging about his own people at the same time. As proof of this Pericles says: “...It may be noticed that the Lacedaemonians do not invade our country alone, but bring with them all their confederates; while we Athenians advance unsupported into the territory of a neighbour,...(pg.2)” This is one difference I have noticed with Obama and Pericles, Pericles often brags about his people and their skills throughout his speech, but Obama seems to be compliments his people as opposed to bragging about them. Obama admits that he is not perfect and that we as a country are also imperfect, but that doesn't mean we can't try. An example of this: “Our actions will not prevent every senseless act of violence in this country.” (pg …show more content…
And yet, we still have so many problems worldwide. They say that you can learn from other people's mistakes but it seems as if not all mistakes are actually learned from. I have actually never read a speech by Obama so reading his speech made me wish he was still president even more. Even though I definitely don't know all the ins and outs of the things Obama did and said as president. I enjoyed Pericles’ speech especially because I liked the challenge of reading the language and seeing how it was back then, but if they were running up against each other for presidents I think I would have to go with Obama. To me, his speech seemed to be more centered around helping the people and the country as a whole. Whereas Pericles’ revolved more around how “great” they
In Pericles speech, Pericles’ Funeral Oration from the Peloponnesian War, it was extremely evident that he was not afraid to boast about their military excellence, and the excellence of his people in general, “...at Athens we live exactly as we please, and yet are just as ready to encounter every legitimate …show more content…
In this passage Pericles is insulting the Lacedaemonians, people of Sparta; as well as bragging about his own people at the same time. As proof of this Pericles says: “...It may be noticed that the Lacedaemonians do not invade our country alone, but bring with them all their confederates; while we Athenians advance unsupported into the territory of a neighbour,...(pg.2)” This is one difference I have noticed with Obama and Pericles, Pericles often brags about his people and their skills throughout his speech, but Obama seems to be compliments his people as opposed to bragging about them. Obama admits that he is not perfect and that we as a country are also imperfect, but that doesn't mean we can't try. An example of this: “Our actions will not prevent every senseless act of violence in this country.” (pg …show more content…
And yet, we still have so many problems worldwide. They say that you can learn from other people's mistakes but it seems as if not all mistakes are actually learned from. I have actually never read a speech by Obama so reading his speech made me wish he was still president even more. Even though I definitely don't know all the ins and outs of the things Obama did and said as president. I enjoyed Pericles’ speech especially because I liked the challenge of reading the language and seeing how it was back then, but if they were running up against each other for presidents I think I would have to go with Obama. To me, his speech seemed to be more centered around helping the people and the country as a whole. Whereas Pericles’ revolved more around how “great” they