Patrick henry speech to virginia convention essay sample

In the “ Speech to the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry there were a lot of things that made his speech very persuasive. He used many different methods to compose this into being and effective speech. These methods include rhetorical questions, imagery, and metaphors.

The first and most influential methods that Henry uses are rhetorical questions. An example of this is when he says “ Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty?” 88. He really gets the audiences attention with this question. This particular quote comments on how they call themselves wise men but are engaged in a struggle for liberty.

“ The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms” 90 is an excellent example of imagery that Henry uses. He tries to strike fear into his audience with the use of these words. Here he is that a big struggle will be coming very soon.

A superior example of a metaphor that Patrick utilizes in his speech is when he is talking about how the war is inevitable. He says “ Our chains are forged” 90. This illustrates that involvement in a war will definitely happen. He is certainly making an effort to reach the audience in a powerful way.

As you can see Patrick Henry’s speech was very persuasive. The various methods that he used were very helpful in making the speech effective. That is what makes him such an influential speaker.