As I began to think about what artifact I should write about, I began to ponder which form of rhetorical artifact I find to be most effective and which artifact I would find the most interesting to analyze. I quickly realized that of all forms of rhetoric, speeches are hands down the most compelling and engaging forms of rhetoric. Looking back on all the great speeches that I admire, the task of choosing a speech to analyze becomes increasingly difficult. There are simply too many awe inspiring, countercultural, profoundly revolutionary orations that history has offered for me to simply choose one speech without much thought.
All of the greatest orations, from Athenian courts to televised inaugural addresses, are characterized by convicting statements, strong rhetorical appeals encompassing all facets of good arguments, and bold charisma that stems from the speaker. I thought of Dr. King’s, “Dream,” speech from class, as well as JFK’s and FDR’s inaugural addresses as perfect examples of a rhetorically effective speech. But the more I think about which speech I want to write about, the more I have come to the conclusion to choose a speech that deals with weightier matters than the average oration. While many presidential addresses and political speeches deal with significant issues, I feel that political speeches are often not genuine or dance around issues while trying to stay away from controversy.
So, as a result, I have narrowed down my choices to a few speeches. I have done some research, and I am torn between Socrates’ apologies, William Wilberforce’s abolition speech, Lincolns Gettysburg Address, or the Sermon on the Mount. All of these speeches have been favorites of mine, not only because of their cool rhetorical mastery, but also because they all deal with very serious issues of morality, philosophy, and life lessons. I will reread each of these speeches and narrow down the options over this weekend. In the words of Connor MacLeod, “There can be only one.”
You have some great options so far. If I were in your position, I would choose Socrates’ apologies, mainly because one of my majors is CAMS. But, Socrates will surely have included some noteworthy rhetorical strategies that you can analyze for your essay. On the other hand, his speech might be rather dense, so I would make sure you thoroughly understand its basis if you select it.
I loved you use of MacLeod’s quote at the end, as I was also torn between what to do. Each of the speeches you listed have great rhetorical value, so it really just comes down to which one you would enjoy writing about the most. After all, if you’re going to write five pages on something, wouldn’t you rather it be something enjoyable?
My suggestion for narrowing your choices would be to pick the one topic that you find yourself most passionate discussing. You do not necessarily have to go with the topic that carries the most weight; rather, go with one that genuinely speaks to you the most. For example, because of my secret interest in the American Civil War period, I would choose the Gettysburg Address out of all those other options.