Abraham Lincoln, “The Gettysburg Address”

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new
nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any
nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great
battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final
resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is
altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot
hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have
consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little
note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did
here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work
which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to
be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored
dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and
that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from
the earth.
November 19, 1863; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
I propose myself to :
1 Read the speech twice , for better understanding
2 To find out the history of this speech
3 To make an analysis by myself

So why I choose this speech ? It’s simple, on every blog that I was searching I find
the same words “In a speech that was comprised of only 10 sentences and 272
words, Lincoln was able to strike a chord that would resonate not only with his
audience, but one that would resonate through time “ this has attracted my
attention and I wanted to find out: Why is this short speech so memorable ?
America was in the midst of a bloody civil war. Union troops had only four months
earlier defeated Confederate troops at the Battle of Gettysburg which is widely
recognized as the turning point in the war. The stated purpose of Lincoln’s speech
was to dedicate a plot of land that would become Soldier’s National Cemetery to
honour the fallen. However, the Civil War still raged and Lincoln realized that he
also had to inspire the people to continue the fight.

Figures of speech :
1 Allusion
“Four score and seven” –this means 87 years . So I was wandering why he just
didn’t say 87 . I think “Four score and seven “ has this really strong , I would even
say Biblical ring , like he is already saying that this battle is a sacred mission and t
has this importance and eloquence of oratory.
2 Antithesis
“We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion
of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that
nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.”
It’s a contras between life and death
3 Tricolon
“But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not
hallow this ground.”
Lincoln loved to use tricolons because he know that this technique can add power
to your words and make them memorable.
4Alliteration
“The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far
above our poor power to add or detract.”
5 Repetition
Lincoln repeat the word “here “ 8 times in his speech , this way he invokes the
place, the hallowed ground of Gettysburg.

Conclusion :
This speech realy touch me from the first time I read it . After analyzing the text I
realize that it doesn’t matter how big is your speech the only things that matter are
that this words must come from the heart , that your must be able to express
yourself , that you must have the ability to attract people , to make yourself
memorable . Lincoln has not been prepared for this speech , he wrote The
Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope on the train to Gettysburg but
indeed this speech is now history .