Rhetoric+of+Abraham+Lincoln

=__Introduction__=

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Rick Kahn's eulogy for Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone.
Paul Wellstone's Eulogy

Shakespeare's Marc Antony speech at Julius Caesar's funeral
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__**Terminology**__
====**1. Arrangement: Looking at the organization of a piece of acknowledges how writers emphasize their key point at the end, as well as how they concede opposing viewpoints. Included here is a discussion of parallelism, not necessarily syntax, but also in ideas. Part of the discussion of arrangement features //juxtaposition//, or placement of ideas. We also monitor how //shifts in tone// are achieved through ending pieces in an appropriate manner.**====

===**2. Appeals: Examining the focus on logic (logos), emotion (pathos), or credibility (ethos) provides readers access into analysis, particularly as we look at how effectively the persuasive techniques work. Personal appeals apply more to the individual -- his emotions or sensibilities while public appeals respond to a group's emotions or sensitivities. A partial list appears below:**===


 * **Personal Appeal** || **Public Appeal** ||
 * Morality || Religion ||
 * Common Sense || Justice ||
 * Fairness || Humanity ||

===3. Assumptions: The enthymeme, a rhetorical syllogism, allows us to analyze the logic of a piece. A master logician, Lincoln makes clear use of syllogism -- a deductive argument that uses a major premise, minor premise, and conclusion -- in presenting the legal basis for abolishing slavery; in so doing, he acknowledges the assumptions (or enthymemes) that belie the fallacies of promoting slavery in America. In Lincoln's earlier speeches, he presents the either/or fallacy (limiting one's choices as two extremes) as a way of illustrating the paradoxes (contrasts that coexist) that slavery in America present.===

For example, when Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, he used the following syllogism:

 * Major Premise:** The Constitution applies to the entire nation.


 * Minor Premise:** The South -- through its insurgency -- is in violation of the Constitution.


 * Conclusion:** The laws of the Constitution (which preserve the right of property, or slaves) no longer apply to the Southern states.

Ironically, the Emancipation Proclamation freed none of the slaves in the Southern States that did not secede, such as Kentucky.
===4. Audience: The audiences of the American Civil War provide a case study on how to reconcile the often disparate views related to slavery. We note Lincoln's use of //rhetorical questions//, much like Socrates, as a way of leading his audience into his thinking.===

=__Lesson 1__: __The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions__=

Delivered to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield in 1838, this speech was also a reaction to the murder of Elijah Lovejoy, a prominent abolitionist, by an angry mob in Alton, Illinois. Here Lincoln presents his earliest work with parallelism and antithesis, as **indicated** in this section. Noteworthy in this speech is what Lincoln chooses NOT to mention:

//And not only so; the innocent, those who have ever set their faces against violations of law in every shape, alike with the guilty, fall victims to the ravages of mob law; and thus it goes on, step by step, till all the walls erected for the defence of the persons and property of individuals, are trodden down, and disregarded. But all this even, is not the full extent of the evil. Bu such examples, by instances of the perpetrators of such acts going unpunished//, //the lawless in spirit, are encouraged to become lawless in practice; and having been used to no restraint, but dread of punishment, they thus become, absolutely unrestrained. Having ever regarded Government as their deadliest bane, they make a jubilee of the suspension of its operations; and pray for nothing so much, as its total annihilation. **While,** on the other hand, good men, men who love tranquility, **who** desire to abide by the laws, and enjoy their benefits, **who** would gladly spill their blood in the defence of their country; **seeing** their property destroyed; their families insulted, and their lives endangered; their persons injured//; //and **seeing** nothing in prospect that forebodes a change for the better; become tired of, and disgusted with, a Government that offers them no protection//; //and are not much averse to a change in which they imagine they have nothing to lose.//

Short Answer Questions:
For each question, consider both the content and the form of Lincoln's text. In other words, explore Lincoln's rhetorical purpose.

a. How does Lincoln's more anecdotal information help illustrate his purpose? What appeals (logos, pathos, ethos) does he create.

b. Explore how the contrast is established, which Lincoln achieves with the paralellism **in bold text** above.

c. Lincoln's sue of appeals becomes even more prominent later on, as see in this section:

//As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor; -- let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character of his own, and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap -- let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; -- let it be written in Primmers, spelling books, and in Almanacs; -- let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls,a nd enforces in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars.//

Look at how this speech compares with Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech (we read this at the beginning of the course). Also located here:

MLK's I Have a Dream Speech

What similarities in language and appeals are present?

d. Lincoln's speech concludes with even loftier appeals, as seen here:

//Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored. It sees no distinction in adding story to story, upon the monuments of fame, erected to the memory of others. It denies that it is glory enough to serve under any chief. It scorns to tread in the footsteps of any predecessor, however illustrious. It thirsts and burns for distinction; and, if possible, it will have it, **whether at the expense of emancipating slaves, or enslaving freemen.** Is it unreasonable then to expect, that some man possessed of the loftiest genius, coupled with ambition sufficient to push it to its utmost stretch, will at some time, spring up among us? And when such a one does, it will require the people to be united with each other, attached to the government and laws,and generally intelligent, to successfully frustrate his designs.//

//Distinction will be his paramount object; and although he would as willingly perhaps more so, acquire it by doing good as harm; yet, that opportunity being past, and nothing left to be done in the way of building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down.//

//Here then, is a probable case, highly dangerous, and such a one as could not have well existed heretofore.//

//Another reason which once was; but which, to the same extent, is now no more, has done much in maintaining our institutions thus far. I mean the powerful influence which the interesting scenes of the revolution had upon the passions of the people as distinguished from their judgment. By this influence, the jealousy, envy, and avarice, incident to our nature, and so common to a state of peace, prosperity,a nd conscious strength, were, for the time, in a great measure smothered and and rendered inactive; while the deep rooted principles of hate, and the powerful motive or revenge, instead of being turned against each other, were directed exclusively against the British nation. And thus, from the force of circumstances, the basest principles of our nature, were e**ither** made to lie dormant **or** to become the active agents in the advancement of the noblest of cause -- that of establishing and maintaining civil and religious liberty.//

Note the last two sentences for their length and complexity. How does the syntax equate the following ideas:

Human nature and history

Human nature and our current liberties?

//e.// Note how Lincoln uses the either/or statement int he final sentence as a way of presenting the contrast. How does the either/or statement propel Lincoln's audience to pursue a "nobler" course of action?