Rhetorical Devices In Patrick Henry's Speech To The Virginia Convention

In the “Speech to the Virginia Convention” (1775) Patrick Henry Convinced colonists to fight against Britain; Four main rhetorical devices that he uses are rhetorical question, allusion, imagery, and parallelism. One device that he employs is asking a rhetorical question, which is a question that is not meant to be answered but to be pondered. “Is it that insidious smile which our petition has been lately received?” This is an example of the device, Henry asked them and wants them to really think about what they are thinking and how they are treating others. Another part in his speech that uses this device is “Are fleets and armies necessary to work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love?” what he is saying is, peace is not possible with fleets and armies; another way of asking them is have they acted this bad to be treated like that? Patrick Henry asks the right question at the right time in his speech. Henry also alludes to well known stories at the time. First, he references the sirens from Homer’s Odyssey,”listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts” making a comparison to the British and clarifying that if they do not open their eyes they will lose their …show more content…
He further emphasizes the idea of Ezekiel by adding, “Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.” they embrace the fact that they must go to war; it can be heard from miles so let’s start