Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death

Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1775

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Essay Analysis

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Literary Devices

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Literary Devices

Pathos and Ethos

Henry’s speech is an example of persuasive rhetoric Justifying Revolution, and as such, it leans heavily on two of the three traditional modes of persuasion: pathos and ethos. Pathos is an appeal to emotion, which Henry uses throughout his speech to stir up strong feelings in his listeners and motivate them to action. Henry’s frequent references to the “chains” that the British government has imposed or will impose on the colonies are an example. The word evokes imprisonment or slavery—a particularly potent image in colonies that engaged in literal enslavement. Such associations would have made Henry’s message about Freedom Versus Tyranny and the necessity of resisting British rule more effective.

Henry also appeals to ethos, or his credibility and authority as a speaker. References to classical mythology and the Bible establish Henry as both knowledgeable and devout. With regard to the particular situation, he emphasizes his demonstrated commitment to freedom, saying, “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past” (83). Henry here highlights his past experience with Britain’s actions to suggest that he can accurately predict what to expect of them in the future.

Rhetorical Questions and Hypophora

Rhetorical questions are questions with an implied rather than explicit answer. Hypophora is similar; it refers to a speaker answering their own question. Henry uses both forms of question in his speech for rhetorical effect, as when he asks, “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love?” (83). Henry phrases these rhetorical questions in such a way that the answers seem obvious. It is hard to imagine “fleets and armies” as tools of “love and reconciliation,” so listeners are almost forced to accept Henry’s premise: that Britain is acting as an aggressor.

Henry uses hypophora in a similar context: “Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none” (83). Once again, the rhetorical device emphasizes Henry’s point, in this case by creating the impression of a debate already settled.

Anaphora

Anaphora is a form of repetition in which the same words recur at the beginning of successive phrases or sentences. Examples in Henry’s speech include: “We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry of Parliament” (84), and “If we wish to be free–if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending—if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged […] we must fight!” (83). The repetition makes Henry’s argument linear and easy to follow while also heightening its emotional effect.

In the first case, anaphora emphasizes the many peaceful means of resolution that the colonists have already resorted to, which implies both that Britain has been grossly unreceptive to compromise and that violence is the only option left. In the second, each use of “if we” expands on the previous one, building toward the climax that comes with Henry’s conclusion: “[W]e must fight” (83).

Allusion

An allusion is a reference to a work (or well-known figure, event, etc.) outside of the source text. Patrick Henry’s speech uses many allusions, particularly to the Bible and Greek mythology, to help listeners understand the significance of his pleas. For instance, Henry alludes to Judas’s betrayal of Jesus when he states, “Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss” (83). For a Christian audience, linking this ultimate treachery to Britain’s behavior would elicit a strong emotional response and possibly motivate them to action.

Henry’s reference to “sirens” presupposes an audience familiar with classical mythology, and particularly with the sirens’ interference in Odysseus’s journey home. The comparison suggests that if the colonists continue to heed Britain, their lives will be derailed.