Rhetorical Analysis Of Wendell Phillips Speech

Wendell Phillips, a white American abolitionist, used the power of language to his advantage to collaborate an influential speech filled with praises and moving words for the former slave, Haitian general, Toussaint-Louverture. His words reveal an unmistakable abolitionist fervor that screams to Americans to allow African Americans to serve in the military and open their eyes to the oppression of slavery. He attempts to ignite this passion through his zealous attitude, his strategic defense for Louverture, and his fluid progression of ideas. His most effective technique, however, is hidden under the surface in his use of stellar parallel structure and reference to historical allusions. These tools allow him to praise his esteemed subject while at the same time moving and influencing his audiences. Phillips speech is rich with historical allusions to the great leaders of our past- leaders who have had a significant impact on our American history. He first juxtaposes his introduction of Louverture with an input about George Washington, the great American President and military leader. This appeals to American emotions as an influential leader is followed up by a Haitian Negro. By placing the two names side by side, Phillips emphasizes a much-intended similarity between the two in terms of greatness. He makes a second
He admires Toussaint’s action when he “forged a thunderbolt and hurled it” and follows this assertion by paralleling the Spaniards, French, and English. This structure illuminates how the Haitian successfully challenged each of these “great” European powers and came up victorious. The structure creates a build-up, each one effectively following the next. This syntax adds to the emphasis of Louverture’s great accomplishments and puts them in a light not too far-fetched from those of the great