Analysis

Here are the elements which will help you with your analysis of Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” speech.

The rhetorical situation is that the speaker is Patrick Henry, an American lawyer, and politician. Henry delivers his speech without any notes to the delegates from the Thirteen Colonies who attended the second Virginia Convention . The speech was not transcribed.

The composition of Henry’s speech can be split into three main parts in which Henry presents arguments for why he believes Great Britain is not willing to reach a compromise with the colonies.

The language used in Henry’s speech is formal, which matches the serious topic he addresses. Henry also adopts an urgent and determined tone when speaking to his audience. 

The main rhetorical devices used by Patrick Henry are metaphors, rhetorical questions, and repetition. Antithesis also helps him show the audience the two possible outcomes for the colonies. 

When delivering his speech, the main forms of appeal Henry uses are logos and pathos. He also builds ethos for himself in the beginning of his speech. 

You can read a full analysis of the speech on the following pages.