give me liberty or give me death by patrick henry

Besides borrowed credibility and an assertive tone, Henry also lowers himself to his audience to show subservience in parts of his speech. Apart from re-emphasizing that he is acting on behalf of God when he exclaims “Forbid it, Almighty God!”, his use of the assertive phrase “Give me liberty or give me death!” echoes his self-assured tone by displaying the two absolutes, presenting himself as a confident figure among his hesitative audience. Along with using borrowed credibility, Henry also displays an assertive tone when he exclaims “Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”, while he also uses an either-or fallacy to mislead his audience into agreeing with him. By saying this, he borrows credibility from a higher power, making him appear more trustworthy to his audience. This implies that although he fears offending his audience by giving his controversial opinions, but it is God’s intention that he does so.

A significant example of this is when Henry states “Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason and an act of disloyalty towards the Majesty of Heaven”. Throughout his speech, Henry postures himself as a trustworthy, respectful, and confident speaker. The strategic use of language, tone and imagery in Henry’s speech not only postures Henry as a confident, it also empowers his audience with confidence, sparks anger, promotes urgency, and provokes anger, which all in all further urge his audience in favor of the revolt. Considering those circumstances, it was crucial that Henry used various oratory tactics to win them over. Furthermore, this convention was attended by members that did not necessarily side with Henry’s ideology. This convention was attended by many important figures including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. One of the most prominent advocates of this revolution was a man named Patrick Henry, who gave a defining speech at the Second Virginia Convention, pushing many to revolt against the British Crown. During the late 18th century, a large-scale revolution swept across North America, eventually forming the United States.

Give me liberty or give me death by patrick henry