Essay on House Divided Speech by Lincoln

House Divided is among the greatest speeches ever delivered in the American history. Delivered on June 16, 1868, Lincoln got the opportunity to address various issues that affected the American populations, with a delegation of more than 1000 attending the Republican State Convention in Springfield, Illinois. On a wider note, the speech tremendously addressed the idea and issues of the United States being divided Free states and slave states. Primarily, Lincoln borrowed the speechs main idea, a house divided against itself cannot stand from one of the keynotes statements by Jesus, as outlined in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and the Luke in the Bible. Coupled with other strategies, Lincoln tremendously and efficiently used various rhetorical techniques to deliver his message to his audience. This paper, therefore, seeks to offer a rhetorical analysis of Abraham Lincolns speech, House Divided. About the speechs Kariotic moment, it is important to recognize that at the time of delivering his speech, the United States was facing a serious conflict between the North and South regarding the issues of slavery. Lincoln sided with the north union with the aim of opposing what was considered as a cruel and unjust treatment of the Africans community. Lincoln has effectively utilized appropriate rhetorical strategies such as the ethos, pathos, and logos in the speech House Divided, to engage critical thinking with the aim of effectively communicating an intended message to the audience and therefore makes it one of the greatest speeches ever delivered to fight for the abolition of slavery.

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The speaker in this speech was Abraham Lincoln. Throughout the speech, Lincoln argues and believes that the American government cannot survive in regard its current condition, and therefore calls for an immediate change among the Americans. Because of this, Lincoln feels that the states will either become all free or all slaves (Crofts 201). Ideally, the concept of a house divided among it cannot stand as used by Lincoln is believed to the element that makes Lincoln speech one of the greatest. The audience of this speech was the American people who attended the Republican Convention in Springfield.

Rhetorical Approach

Lincoln the rhetorical strategies that include the ethos, pathos, and logos to display to his audience the historical reasoning behind why he is advocating for the abolition black enslavement.

Ethos

Lincoln has hugely used ethos throughout his speech. Ethos refers to an appeal to ethics which involves convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader. Fundamentally, he first uses appeals to ethos by directly beginning his speech. Notably, he asserts that Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention and after that proceeds like, If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it. According to Holland (161), this appeals shows that Lincoln has an unquestionable personality that consists of respect and recognition of the authority in which he is giving his speech. His statement further acts as a reference to the manner in which the politicians at the time frequently avoided the issues of slavery, until the legislation was enacted to annex the Free states or slave states.

As Holland contends further, Lincoln believed that his early political career gave him an excellent opportunity to challenge Douglas on the constitutionality of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (162). Fundamentally, his first and sole term in the United States House of Representatives reached its end in 1849 and later followed by a political silence until his intense criticism of both the Nebraska doctrine and the Scott Dred decisions which then reignited his fascination in politics. In concluding his speech, Lincoln provides what he believes to be the next significant step for the United States, which is to meet and overthrow the power of that dynasty, and hopes that it is the work now before people would prevent that consummation. By saying so, Lincoln is vividly referring to the political regime of the time that would play a significant part in legalizing the idea of slavery in the American society. However, he consequently ends with strong assertions that the success of all those who are struggling to end slavery in the United States are foreseeable. His statements portray a considerable amount of confidence that Lincoln has on himself and what comes from his mouth. It acts as an assurance and hopes to his listeners, who believe in what he is saying. For instance, he asserts that: "The result is not doubtful. We shall not fail-if we stand firm, we shall not fail. Wise councils may accelerate, or mistakes delay it, but, sooner or later the victory is sure to come.

Logos

Utilization of the Logos, as a rhetoric strategy is depicted as a major strength of Lincoln speech. Ideally, logos refer to an appeal to logic and are a technique used to persuade the audience through reasoning. Lincoln has tremendously used this strategy at various instances in the speech. Firstly, Lincoln states that it five years had passed since the policy that was created to prevent black slavery, but the issues still continued. According to him, this policy had not succeeded based on the fact that strong arguments that opposed and supported the issues of slavery were ongoing. When he asserts that a house divided against it cannot stand, Lincoln logically offers an explanation that the continued conflict between the southern and northern states has to stop if the United States desires to operate efficiently and even compete with other nations on global matters. In reality, a country cannot function properly it all its components does not agree on some important things such as slavery. As a logo, the concept of house divided is important because it carries the bulk of the speech, and all other elements and ideas mentioned emanate from it (Loudenslager 530).

Similarly, Lincoln uses logos in the description of the historical context of the speech. On a wider note, he expertly recounts the events that surrounded the slavery issue, and which have occurred in the United States since 1853. Tarbell (306) recognizes Lincolns assertion when he mentions the Nebraska Doctrine, the Dred Scott decision, the concept of squatter sovereignty, and the sacred right of self-government. In addition to these, Lincoln further poses a number of rhetorical questions such as: "Why was the amendment, expressly declaring the right of the people to exclude slavery, voted down?", "Why was the [Dred Scott] decision held up?", "Why the outgoing President's felicitation on the endorsement?", "Why the delay of a reargument?", And "Why the incoming President's advance exhortation for the decision?". In her claims, Tarbell argues that, through recounting the issues such as the Nebraska doctrine and Dred Scott, besides, the rhetoric questions, Lincolns speech greatly arouses the reflection of the audience about the previous events. In this case, he succeeds in mentioning the reason behind this doctrine and the primary outcomes of the Dred Scott decision. For example, the implications were that no black slave could ever be the citizen of the United States, and not even the Congress or the territorial legislature could exclude slavery from any state. Nevertheless, it resulted in punishment for any actions that involved holding any slave in a free state. Nonetheless, Lincoln attempts to compare this to trying to calm a spirited horse before standing it through petting. These suggest that all these events occur with the aim of avoiding an upset within the United States.

Additionally, by doing this, it is clear that his audience is not southerners who support the idea of slavery. Instead, Lincoln is attempting to speak to the people from the North, who does not believe in the slavery. He expects to demonstrate to them the size and the significance of the eventual decision of the United States. Fascinatingly, Lincoln utilizes both the threats that emanated from slavery in addition to nations sovereignty. While addressing the implication of the Dred Scott decisions, he quotes that:

"Squatter sovereignty" squatted out of existence, tumbled down like temporary scaffolding; like the mold at the foundry, served through one blast and fell back into loose sand; helped to carry an election and then was kicked to the winds.

In this quote, Lincoln tremendously pants and exposes his use of similes and metaphors with the aim of making his message apparent within the mind of his audience. After that, he poses significant accusation towards Stephen, Franklin, and Roger for being responsible for all things that the United States was undergoing. On a wider note, he claimed that these people worked together as selfish individuals to push the nation into various decisions without its valid consent.

Pathos

According to Loudenslager (521), Abraham Lincoln manages to use pathos in his short speech. Fundamentally, pathos refers to a persuasion technique in which the rhetor appeals through a creation of an emotional response from the audience. A close look at the speech shows that Lincoln has immensely used words such as the slave, Negro, and freedom. Through these assertions within the speech, Lincoln succeeds in reigniting the depressing feeling associated with them. Notably, the three words are powerful and carry with them strong and controversial connotations (523).

The use of pathos can also be demonstrated in the speech when Lincoln starts off by saying what he believes is the undoubted fact that the nation will fall in one way or the other because of the slavery issue. After offering several numbers of eye-opening reasons and assertions about the existence of slavery and its anticipated implications of the greater American society, he leaves his audience with many thoughts, which evokes a massive emotional response of his listeners. For example, he says that America is going to lean entirely in one direction or another about slavery, and therefore, makes sure it is the direction you want. This statement as simple as it may look is immensely powerful and has huge impacts on the audience. Lincoln, through this reports, seems not be concerned about the choice of the Americans regarding the issues at hand but leaves it for them to decide the fate and future of the America. Not knowing the intentions of their speaker, the audience is likely to respond in a positive way so as to end the issues of slavery.

Finally, Lincoln uses pathos while concluding his speech with, our cause then, must be entrusted to, and conducted by its undoubted friends- those whose hands are free, whose hearts are in the work that does care for the result... It is undeniable that these words will stick in the memory of the audience based on the fact that if Americans are concerned with the issues at hand as explored by Lincoln, there is no doubt that they will work upon it (Holland 161).

False Dilemma

In the ninth line of the speech, Lincoln asserts that It will become all one thing or all the other. This rhetorical strategy is known as the false dilemma. At this point, Lincoln is trying to express his opinion that if there is no a significant change within the United States and specifically the conflicting parties, then there will be prosperity in the United States. Besides, the United States must transform itself into all Free states or all slave states if at all the change are needed and the issues of slavery solved (Holland 162). This idea is consequently emphasized in line ten which says:

Either the opponents of slavery, will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall b...