Antithesis In The Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is ane of the nigh famous, virtually quoted, and most recited speeches of all fourth dimension. It is too one of the shortest among its peers at just 10 sentences.

In this article, we examine five primal lessons which yous can learn from Lincoln'southward speech and employ to your own speeches.

This is the latest in a series of voice communication critiques here onSix Minutes.

Speech Critique – Gettysburg Accost – Abraham Lincoln

I encourage you lot to:

Watch the video with a recitation by Jeff Daniels;
Read the analysis in this speech critique, as well every bit the voice communication transcript below; and
Share your thoughts on this spoken language in the comment department.

Lesson #one – Anchor Your Arguments Solidly

When trying to persuade your audition, one of the strongest techniques y'all tin use is to anchor your arguments to statements which your audience believes in. Lincoln does this twice in his get-go judgement:

Iv score and vii years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in freedom, and defended to the proposition that all men are created equal. [ane]

Among the beliefs which his audience held, perchance none were stronger than those put forth in the Bible and Annunciation of Independence. Lincoln knew this, of course, and included references to both of these documents.

First, Psalm ninety verse ten states:

The days of our years are sixty years and ten…

(Note: a "score" equals xx years. And then, the verse is stating that a human life is nigh 70 years.)

Therefore, Lincoln's "Four score and seven years ago" was a Biblically evocative way of tracing backwards eighty-7 years to the signing of the Annunciation of Independence in 1776. That document contains the following famous line:

We concur these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with sure unalienable rights, that amongst these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Past referencing both the Bible and the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln is signalling that if his audience trusts the words in those documents (they did!), then they should trust his words as well.

How can you use this lesson? When trying to persuade your audition, seek out principles on which you agree and beliefs which you share. Ballast your arguments from that solid foundation.

Lesson #two – Apply Classic Rhetorical Devices

Lincoln employed simple techniques which transformed his words from bland to poetic. Two which we'll look at here are triads and contrast.

First, he uttered two of the near famous triads ever spoken:

"…we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground." [half dozen]
"authorities of the people, by the people, for the people." [ten]

Second, he uses contrast wonderfully:

"… for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live." [4]
(the death of the soldiers contrasts with the life of the nation)
"The world will little notation, nor long retrieve what we say here, simply it can never forget what they did hither." [8]
(remember contrasts forget; say contrasts did)

How can you use this lesson? While the stately prose of Lincoln'due south day may not be appropriate for your next spoken language, at that place is still much to be gained from weaving rhetorical devices into your speech communication. A few well-crafted phrases often serve as memorable audio bites, giving your words an extended life.

Lesson #iii – Repeat Your Well-nigh Important Words

"When trying to persuade your audience, seek out principles on which you lot agree and beliefs which you share. Ballast your arguments from that solid foundation."

In the first lesson, we've seen how words can be used to anchor arguments past referencing widely held beliefs.

In the second lesson, we've seen how words can be strung together to craft rhetorical devices.

Now, we'll plow our attending to the importance of repeating individual words. A word-past-discussion analysis of the Gettysburg Address reveals the following words are repeated:

we: 10 times
here: 8 times
dedicate (or dedicated): vi times
nation: 5 times

While this may non seem like much, remember that his entire speech was only 271 words.

By repetitive use of these words, he drills his central point home: Like the men who died hither, nosotros must dedicate ourselves to salve ournation.

"we" creates a bond with the audition (it's not almost yous or I, information technology's near usa together)
"here" casts Gettysburg as the springboard to propel them forward
"dedicate" is more than powerful than saying "we must endeavor to do this"
"nation" gives the higher purpose

How can you utilize this lesson? Determine the words which most conspicuously capture your central argument. Repeat them throughout your speech communication, specially in your conclusion and in conjunction with other rhetorical devices. Employ these words in your marketing materials, spoken communication title, speech introduction, and slides as well. Doing and so will make it more likely that your audience will [a] "get" your message and [b] think it.

Lesson #4 – Use a Elementary Outline

The Gettysburg Address employs a simple and straightforward three part voice communication outline: past, nowadays, time to come.

Past: The spoken language begins 87 years in the past, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the formation of a new nation. [1]
Present: The spoken language and so describes the present context: the ceremonious war, a not bad battlefield (Gettysburg), and a dedication ceremony. The new nation is being tested. [2-8]
Future: Lincoln paints a picture of the future where the promise of the new nation is fully realized through a desirable human relationship between government and the people. [9-10]

Note that "the nation" is the central thread tying all 3 parts together.

How tin y'all use this lesson?When organizing your content, ane of the best approaches is one of the simplest. Go chronological.

Outset in the past, generally at a moment of relative prosperity or happiness.
Explicate how your audience came to the present moment. Describe the challenge, the conflict, or the negative trend.
Finally, depict a more prosperous hereafter, one that tin exist realized if your audience is persuaded to activity past you.

And, speaking of beingness persuaded to human action…

Lesson #5 – State a Clear Call-to-Activeness

The final sentences of the Gettysburg Address are a rallying cry for Lincoln'southward audience. Although the occasion of the gathering is to dedicate a state of war memorial (a purpose to which Lincoln devotes many words in the torso of his speech communication), that is not Lincoln's full purpose. He calls his audience to "be dedicated here to the unfinished work" [8], to non let those who died to "have died in vain" [10]. He implores them to remain committed to the ethics ready along by the nation's founding fathers.

How can you lot use this lesson? The authentication of a persuasive speech is a clear telephone call-to-action. Don't hint at what you want your audience to practise. Don't imply. Don't suggest. Clearly state the actions that, if taken, volition lead your audience to success and prosperity.

Speech Transcript – Gettysburg Address – Abraham Lincoln

[1] Four score and vii years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

[2] At present we are engaged in a dandy ceremonious war, testing whether that nation, or whatever nation, so conceived and then dedicated, can long endure.

[3] We are met on a great battle-field of that war.

[4] We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a terminal resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.

[5] It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

[half-dozen] But, in a larger sense, we can non dedicate, nosotros tin not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground.

[vii] The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, accept consecrated it, far above our poor ability to add or detract.

[8] The globe will niggling note, nor long call back what we say hither, but information technology can never forget what they did here.

[9] Information technology is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished piece of work which they who fought here accept thus far and so nobly advanced.

[10] It is rather for united states to be here dedicated to the peachy task remaining before usa—that from these honored dead we accept increased devotion to that crusade for which they gave the concluding total mensurate of devotion—that nosotros here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new nascence of freedom—and that government of the people, past the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Other Critiques of Lincoln'due south Gettysburg Address

For further reading, you lot may enjoy these excellent analyses:

Nick Morgan — The greatest 250-word speech ever written
John Zimmer — The Gettysburg Address: An Analysis
Christopher Graham — A poetical analysis of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address