Rhetorical devices

Rhetorical devices are language techniques that make speeches more memorable and appealing to the audience, used with the purpose of making the audience accept the speaker’s view…

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Allusion

An allusion is a reference to people, events, or literature that the speaker considers relevant for achieving his intentions.

The most memorable allusion from the speech is “blood, toil, tears, and sweat” (l. 35) which is also how the speech came to be known. The phrase is thought to be inspired by a speech by Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi who had used it to rall…

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Antithesis

Antithesis means creating a contrast to form a comparison. An example of antithesis from the speech is “for without victory there is no survival” (ll. 43-44). This helps the speaker suggest that victory is the only option for the British Empire in the fight against Germany –…

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Direct address

The speech contains a few instances of direct address in which the speaker targets the British Parliament asking them to vote for his cabinet and accept his speech: “I now invite the House by a resolution to record its approval of the steps taken and declare its confidence…

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Imagery, metaphors, and hyperboles

The speaker creates imagery (mental images) mostly at the end of his speech as he describes Germany through an extended hyperbolic metaphor:  “…a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime.” (ll. 39-41). This creates an association between German…

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Repetition

Repetition is a dominant rhetorical device in Churchill’s speech which helps him give emphasis to his arguments and to convey a determined tone.

For example, repeating the personal pronoun “I” gives Churchill authority: “I am submitting (...) I hope to complete (...) I trust when Parliament meets again this part of my task will be completed and that the administration will be complet…