Literary Elements Used in Speeches

 “There is imperious need for these vital munitions. They increase our strength against the powerfully armed enemy. They replace the wastage of the obstinate struggle; and the knowledge that wastage will speedily be replaced enables us to draw more readily upon our reserves and throw them in now that everything counts so much.” Winston Churchill - Be Ye Men of Valour

 “There is imperious need for these vital munitions. They increase our strength against the powerfully armed enemy. They replace the wastage of the obstinate struggle; and the knowledge that wastage will speedily be replaced enables us to draw more readily upon our reserves and throw them in now that everything counts so much.” Winston Churchill - Be Ye Men of Valour

LOADED TERMS

"We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne." Patrick Henry - Give me Liberty Speech

"We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne." Patrick Henry - Give me Liberty Speech

Parallelism

“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.” Churchill

“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.” Churchill

Personification

“…the command of Isaiah– to ‘undo the heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go free’.” From JFK

“…the command of Isaiah– to ‘undo the heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go free’.” From JFK

Allusion

"Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?" Patrick Henry

"Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?" Patrick Henry

Rhetorical Questions

"Give me liberty, or give me death." Patrick Henry

"Give me liberty, or give me death." Patrick Henry

Aphorism

"Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss." Patrick Henry - Give me Liberty Speech

"Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss." Patrick Henry - Give me Liberty Speech

Who else in history was famously betrayed by a kiss?

Allusion

Ask not what your country can do for you —ask what you can do for your country. -JFK

Ask not what your country can do for you —ask what you can do for your country. -JFK

Aphorism

“Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?” –JFK Inaugural Address

“Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?” –JFK Inaugural Address

Rhetorical Questions

“… on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, on unselfish performance…” Roosevelt

“… on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, on unselfish performance…” Roosevelt

Parallelism

"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." --Ben Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence

"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." --Ben Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence

Aphorism

. . . For if we lose the ability to perceive our faults, what is the good of living on? --Marcus Aurelius

. . . For if we lose the ability to perceive our faults, what is the good of living on? --Marcus Aurelius

Rhetorical Questions