Abraham Lincoln: Gettysburg Adress

In a speech that was comprised of only 10 sentences and 272 words, Abraham Lincoln was able to shine light on something that would resonate not only with his audience, but one that would echo through time. Why is this short speech so notable?

First, it is vital to recall the context. America was in the middle 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). Thus, I believe the stated purpose of Lincoln’s speech was to bestow a plot of land that would become Soldier’s National Cemetery to honour the deceased. However, the Civil War still raged on and Lincoln comprehended that he also had to encourage and inspire the people to continue the fight. Therefore the speech is mainly a mix between motivating people to keep fighting and also honouring the fallen. I believe that Lincoln had one main audience which was the country in general, however he had a bigger purpose with this speech. I believe he made it short and easy to follow so that it could impact future generation, a speech to resonate in the ears and minds of generations to come.

(In italics and bold are going to be the words of Abraham Lincoln during the speech and under them are going to be my thoughts and views on the speech itself.)

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.

§  “Four score and seven” is much more poetic, much more elegant, and noble than “Eighty-seven”. This is appropriate, because 87 years prior, the United States had won its freedom from Britain and thus embarked on the “Great Experiment”.

§  Lincoln reminisces to the audience about the basis on which the country was founded: liberty and equality. This is a perfect set up to the next sentence.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

§  Here, Lincoln signals the task. The values on which the nation was founded are under attack.

§  He encompasses the importance of the fight beyond the borders of the United States. It is not just a question of whether America could survive, but instead a question of whether any nation established on the same principles could live. Thus does the war — and the significance of winning it — take on an even greater importance.

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.

§  Lincoln turns to distinguish those who have fallen for their country.

§  He uses contrast well. By stating “those who here gave their lives that this nation might live” Lincoln makes what is possibly the ultimate contrast: life vs death. This has an immediate impact on the audience because the use of contrast is persuasive in a speech because it directly proves the persons point, showing the good that come out of their side.

§  He uses consonance — the repetition of the same consonant in short sequence — through words with the letter “f”: battlefield; field; final; for; fitting. This has an effect on the audience because it makes the speech seem more impressive and appealing and add certain amount of intensity and beauty to them.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground.

§  Notice the use of a “triple” sort of repetition: “can not dedicate … can not consecrate … can not hallow”. Triples are a influential public speaking technique that can add authority to your words and make them notable.

§  Say the sentence out loud and hear the powerful cadence and rhythm.

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

§  This sentence is full of sincere respect for those who fought. It is an expressive way of saying that their actions speak much greater value than Lincoln’s words. This pulls on the audiences pathos and really put the situation in perspective.

§  There is an alliteration as well: “poor power”. The function of alliteration in speeches is to be both attention getting and memorable.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

§  There is a double contrast here, in this sentence: “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here” / “but it can never forget what they did here.”

§  Note the appeal to something greater. It is not the United States that will never forget, but the whole world.

§  Ironically, Lincoln was wrong with this statement. Not only have his words been remembered to this day, they will carry on to continue to be remembered in the future. Which as stated before was the reason I believe he made his speech this way, for it to be remembered later on.

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.

§  The final two sentences of the address signal a call to action, a resolution to complete “the unfinished work”.

§  They are packed with inspiring words such as “dedicated”, “nobly”, “great”, “honoured”, “devotion”, “highly resolve”, “God”, “birth” and “freedom”. To inspire the audience to do the great task he asks of them.

§  There are a couple of contrasts here: “the living” with “the honoured dead”; and “these dead shall not have died in vain” with “this nation … shall have a new birth of freedom”.

§  Prior to this, Lincoln said that, in a sense, they could not bestow the ground. Here, he tells the audience that to which they must be dedicated: “the unfinished work” and “the great task remaining before us”.

§  He finishes with a powerful triple repetition (as mentioned before) that has become famous throughout the world: “of the people, by the people, for the people”. This repetition displays authority when being said.