On March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry delivered his speech to the Virginia Burgesses about fighting for independence against the British Empire. Patrick Henry used three rhetoric facets to try and persuade the Virginia Burgesses. These three facets are called Ethos,Logos, and Pathos. Ethos means that there is credibility. Patrick Henry had to be credible and fair to his audience. He had to prove to his audience that he could be trusted. Logos shows reasonable time and thought was put in. Patrick Henry made sure his audience knew that he put a great deal of time and thought toward his speech. Lastly, Pathos gives positive feelings toward the audience. Patrick Henry had to make sure after his speech, the audience felt positively about what he was saying.
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Patrick Henry was not an uneducated person. He was an attorney, planter, and an experienced politician. Patrick Henry was also a post-colonial Governor of Virginia. Patrick Henry was addressing the Virginia Burgesses, but his intended audience was the colonists. The colonists would be one fighting against the British for their independence. Even though Patrick Henry’s audience was geared towards the colonists, he incorporated virtues, such as respect, to help persuade the Virginia Burgesses. Patrick Henry is successful when he addresses his audience. He does not blame his audience or make it their fault. Instead he treats them with respect and tries to show his audience what his perspective is. Patrick Henry approached his audience with respect and referenced several anecdotes from God. He incorporated Ethos by showing to his audience that he was in fact credible. For example; Patrick Henry references the Bible saying, ”different men often see the same subject in different lights”(Henry). Patrick Henry uses the word light in order to show that his perspective is aligned with God’s purpose. Patrick Henry builds his ethos by showing a religious passion. He puts himself in the position of a Christian man fighting for God. Patrick Henry also says,” And what have to oppose them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the past ten years. Have we anything new to offer on the subject? Nothing” (Henry). This is another example …show more content…
Patrick Henry wanted to give the audience a taste of what he was feeling. He says,” a British guard stationed at every house” (Henry). He is giving the audience an image no one wants to see come true. He also says,” Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received” (Henry). Henry explains how the colonists’ demands are being met by an” insidious smile” from the British. The fact that the colonists are being tricked and kicked around by the British angers them. The thought of false hope angers many and Patrick Henry hopefully changes the minds of many and how they see the British. Patrick Henry uses parallelism, to repeat the same point over and over. In this case when he says,” They are meant for us they can be meant for no other” and “war-like preparations which cover our water and darken our land” (Henry). He makes the same point over and emphasizing the military preparations by the British. This is trying to create emotions out of his audience, the Virginia Burgesses, and make them see his perspective more clearly. Patrick Henry touched many people in his audience and got him one step closer to achieving his
Patrick Henry was not an uneducated person. He was an attorney, planter, and an experienced politician. Patrick Henry was also a post-colonial Governor of Virginia. Patrick Henry was addressing the Virginia Burgesses, but his intended audience was the colonists. The colonists would be one fighting against the British for their independence. Even though Patrick Henry’s audience was geared towards the colonists, he incorporated virtues, such as respect, to help persuade the Virginia Burgesses. Patrick Henry is successful when he addresses his audience. He does not blame his audience or make it their fault. Instead he treats them with respect and tries to show his audience what his perspective is. Patrick Henry approached his audience with respect and referenced several anecdotes from God. He incorporated Ethos by showing to his audience that he was in fact credible. For example; Patrick Henry references the Bible saying, ”different men often see the same subject in different lights”(Henry). Patrick Henry uses the word light in order to show that his perspective is aligned with God’s purpose. Patrick Henry builds his ethos by showing a religious passion. He puts himself in the position of a Christian man fighting for God. Patrick Henry also says,” And what have to oppose them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the past ten years. Have we anything new to offer on the subject? Nothing” (Henry). This is another example …show more content…
Patrick Henry wanted to give the audience a taste of what he was feeling. He says,” a British guard stationed at every house” (Henry). He is giving the audience an image no one wants to see come true. He also says,” Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received” (Henry). Henry explains how the colonists’ demands are being met by an” insidious smile” from the British. The fact that the colonists are being tricked and kicked around by the British angers them. The thought of false hope angers many and Patrick Henry hopefully changes the minds of many and how they see the British. Patrick Henry uses parallelism, to repeat the same point over and over. In this case when he says,” They are meant for us they can be meant for no other” and “war-like preparations which cover our water and darken our land” (Henry). He makes the same point over and emphasizing the military preparations by the British. This is trying to create emotions out of his audience, the Virginia Burgesses, and make them see his perspective more clearly. Patrick Henry touched many people in his audience and got him one step closer to achieving his