“The Speech to Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry Rhetorical Devices: Allusions and Rhetorical Questions

Allusions Allusion is a brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or fictitious, or to a work of art. Casual reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event. An allusion may be drawn from history, geography, literature, or religion.

Song of the Siren Mythology and Legend – Sirens: Odyssey In Greek mythology, Sirens were sea creatures who lured sailors to their deaths on the rocky shores by singing a beautiful, irresistible song. They are usually depicted as women, or as half-women, half bird. In modern usage, “sirens” can refer to anything that tempts a person away from safety and toward a destructive path. A “siren song” is the temptation used to lure a person.

Example In his Speech in the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry urged his listeners not to be fooled by an “illusion of hope,” saying, “We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she transforms us into beasts.” He is comparing false hope both to the sirens and to Circe, who turned Odysseus’ men into swine.

Betrayed with a Kiss The Bible – Thirty Pieces of Silver/Betrayed with a Kiss In the Bible, Judas Iscariot was the disciple who agreed to betray Jesus to the authorities in exchange for payment. The thirty pieces of silver were the price of Judas’ betrayal. The way Judas identified Jesus for the authorities was to approach Jesus and greet him with a kiss of identification. “Thirty pieces of silver” refers to payment received for an act of treachery. “Betrayed with a kiss” refers to a supposed friend’s treachery.

Example Patrick Henry warned his listeners about the supposed friendliness of the British. He warned, “Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss.”

Rhetorical Devices Rhetorical devices—literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression or language. Rhetorical devices are tools to aide writers/speakers in their invention of persuasion.

Rhetorical Question A rhetorical question is one that requires no answer because the answer is obvious and doesn't need to be stated . The speaker (of the rhetorical question) is not looking for an answer but is making some kind of a point, as in an argument. Example: Are fleets and armies necessary to a 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?

Parallelism Parallel structure is using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Example: . We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament.

Anthypophora A figure of reasoning in which one asks and then immediately answers one's own questions (or raises and then settles imaginary objections). Reasoning aloud. Example: Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other.

Anaphora Repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines. Example: Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.