Rhetorical Analysis of Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention Essay Example

Patrick Henry, a Founding Father, gave the speech, “Speech to the Virginia Convention” on March 23, 1775 at St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia. In this, he expresses his view on living under British rule. Henry spoke urgently about wanting American men to fight against the British to ensure their freedom. Patrick Henry persuades his audience by showing how necessary it is to go into battle through metaphors, antithesis, and parallelism. He used his “voice” to call for rebellion, and his radical proposals offered ideas towards a new nation. 

Henry was a growing voice of dissent within the new rebellion against Britain. He applied simplistic metaphors to his speeches to pass his ideology amongst the common man. "We have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on" (Henry 2) In this we see that Henry is comparing Great Britain to a storm because they [Britain] are strong as well as powerful. Henry believes that they have tried everything thus the only way to win is to come together and fight for a new nation. Henry called for the Colonists to unite to oppose British Rule.

Henry wanted his fellow Americans to fight for their independence but he knew that he would have to convince them. He saw British taxation as slavery, “For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery.” (Henry 1) Patrick Henry employs an antithesis as well as pathos in this quote because he is ultimately giving the audience a choice, they could be free or become slaves to Britain. This was most evident during the debate of the Stamp Act of 1765, which was an imposed British tax on all printed paper products within the Colonies. Henry would insist that only the Colonies would be able to tax their own people. This thought continued for years until the Colonists started to stand up for themselves so they could become sovereign, furthermore being able to choose their own liberties.

The declaration of, “Give me liberty or give me death!” (Henry 2) is what Patrick Henry is most famous for. This quote was made during his speech before the Virginia Convention of 1775 in Richmond, Virginial, a staple in American history because he urged his fellow Virginians to fight for their Independence. The parallel structure of this quote helps to emphasize the importance of it in leading the Colonists unity in their fight for freedom. He is seeking to inspire bravery and action in others who, like him, also value liberty so much that they would be willing to fight to make the ultimate sacrifice (death) in order to secure liberty.

Patrick Henry's metaphors, antithesis, and parallel structure convince the audience that they needed to fight in order to be free of Britain's control. His speech was a request for the Virginia colony to build up its militia in order to defend their right to freedom. He gives his audience a choice to unify and contest the hands of Great Britain or to do nothing and continue being treated poorly.