In “The Speech of Polly Baker,” Benjamin Franklin uses repetition to shame the court by making their decision for Polly Baker seem foolish and hypocritical. At the end of the speech, Franklin constantly uses the word “duty.” It’s used to defend Baker’s action by emphasizing that her “crime” wasn’t actually a crime, but an obligation. Baker claims that she was simply following through with her responsibility to “Encrease and Multiply,” whether she was supported by anyone or not, and that shouldn’t be considered a crime. She notes that even through continuous public disgrace and humiliation, she continued to follow her “duty” because she is that committed to her religion. The court believes she must be punished because she has sinned, but was
