Topic

Barack Obama’s speech at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela is a eulogy. This is a type of address made as a tribute after someone’s deat…

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Nelson Mandela’s life and work

The main topic of the speech is Nelson Mandela’s life and work, which the speaker praises: “It is hard to eulogize any man – to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person…” (ll. 13-15)

The speaker praises Nelson Mandela by comparing him to other great leaders who have fought for freedom, including Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King: “Like Dr. King, he would give potent voice to the claims of the oppressed and the moral necessity of racial justice...” (ll. 25-27)

Obama proceeds to give various details about Mandela’s life, starting with the fact that he grew up in an African tribe: “Born during World War I, far from the corridors of power, a boy raised herding cattle and tutored by the elders of his Thembu tribe…” (ll. 20-22)

As the speech continu…

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Argumentation

Barack Obama generally uses direct argumentation in his eulogy to Nelson Mandela. This means that he presents his views and arguments in a straightforward manner.

For example, the speaker clearly indicates when he shares a personal opinion: “…it’s tempting I think to remember Nelson Mandela as an icon, smiling and serene, detached from the tawdry affairs of lesser men.” (ll. 40-42); “But I believe it should also prompt in each of us a time for self-reflection.” (ll. 140-142)

Furthermore, Obama uses an explicit line of argumentation that shows his views on the topics he discusses: “He turned his trial into an indictment of apartheid because of his eloquence and his passion, but also because of his training as an advocate.” (ll. 89-92)

Additionally, the speaker addresses his audience directly, another typical mark of direct argumentation, letting them view things from his perspective: “The questions we face…