Analysis of “I Have a Dream” Speech

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther exp cardinalnt younger gave a saving that electrified a nation. In Washington D. C, King delivered his speech on the steps of the Lincoln archives and as his powerful voice echoed out across an audience of 200,000 hoi polloi, echoes of the Gettysburg book of facts could be hear as well as the Declaration of license and the Bible. It has been wished masterfully delivered and improvised sermon, bursting with biblical language and imagery. The passionate speech is fill up with rhetorical gismos that swear out ground into earth Kings demands of racial equality and outcries of accessible seediness.The second divide of the speech starts with Five score years past, an everyusion to Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg address. This is particularly poignant due(p) to the fact that the speech was given on the steps of his memorial. A memorial to the president who passed the emancipation proclamation. Martin Luther King jr. continues with comparing this (the emancipation proclamation) momentous decree to a great beacon fire light to those who had been seared in the flames of withering in judge in an face of a simile and then a simile.The metaphor is expanded to c completely the proclamation a ethereal daybreak to a long night. The metaphors help prove Kings point through with(predicate) contrasting two abstract concepts through tangible things. The last sentence of the second carve up is the first of numerous references to the bible. In comparing Psalms 305 For his anger is that for a moment his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may vacillate for the night, alone joy comes with the morning to Kings groove It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity the parallels can be seen.The use of biblical references helps link the work of MLK to the bible and divine things. Southerners creation in the bible belt and dominantly Christian, this reference to the bible strikes residence to these slaveh olders. The ordinal paragraph contains a strong example of anaphora with the repetition of unity hundred years later four times. This is employ to thrust home the point of how long the suffrage has gone on. The duration is important only when as well as the effect of its repetition makes the paragraph seem longer and draw out- uniform the in umpires that are still being suffered- one hundred years later.Also a simile is utilise to compare segregation to imprisonment in the the phrases manacles of segregation and chains of discrimination. The usage of these rhetorical twistings relates slavery to jail and hike contrast it from the biblical allusions apply with equality. Paragraph four of the speech is a large metaphor for an allusion to the United States Declaration of Independence which is later cited directly. In Specific King alludes to the declaration in saying unalien sufficient rights of life, acquaintance and the pursuit of happiness. Which within itself is a tri colon ascends.This allusion to such an important American papers is used to support Kings theme of equality by pointing out its sonority in the purely American document. Throughout this portion of the speech King makes a metaphor of these guaranteed rights saying they are a promissory stigmatise. This metaphor links these intangible unalienable rights to something tangible which falls into bulge out with the rest of the expanded metaphor. He goes on the say that the blackness people turn over received a bad check and when they tried to interchange this check is comes support marked insufficient property. These metaphors hunt into the larger one of a citizens rights to a promise of a bank. Martin Luther King jr. shows his apply the country in the continuance of the metaphor in which he refuses to turn over the bank of justice is bankrupt and that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity. Furthermore he makes a metaphor of emancipation to riches a nd security to justice. The use of all these smaller metaphors feed into the larger one and these rhetorical devices are used to link intangible to tangible.Also this shows the realist side of the speaker, not only does he allude and reference biblical things precisely overly he realizes the importance of equality to blacks economically. The fourth paragraph of the speech ends with an example of anaphora. A short hopeful phrase of immediately is the time is repeat four times back to back to back to back in the last four ocelluss of the paragraph. These rhetorical devices have a powerful impact and add a decisive, hopeful feel. Martin Luther King Jr. in this conclusion also makes another(prenominal) metaphor with saying racial injustice is quick sands and brotherhood is a solid rock. These metaphors also link the intangible with the tangible creating a contrast. Apples and bananas are polar but the difference of good and bad is harder to see. When attached to real life objects the visual percept is make. The rest of the speech contains several more independent metaphors, all used to support Martin Luther King Jr. s points. The whirlwinds of revolt impart have the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges ma queen regnant a metaphor of revolt to a whirlwind and justice to a bright day.Yet again, metaphors are used to represent abstract ideas with concrete things to get to a contrast. In another place it is seen that storm are like persecution and winds like police brutality. fasten in the earlier metaphor to imprisonment, this usage of a rhetorical device shows the vicious circle Negroes were living with. At some point it becomes repetitious all of the metaphors of justice to eitherthing from money to the bible. yet yet again injustice is metaphored to sweltering eat (alluding to Richard III act one, scene one, line one) and justice to an oasis yet another instance in which the metaphors are used to show contrast. Later on the entire country is metaphored to as in jangling discords and that with brotherhood it can be transformed into a glorious symphony. This metaphor is a nice break for all of those to justice but still the same ideas ring through. This usage of a rhetorical device ties to the topic at hand to a larger more national scale. Some of the most famous parts of this speech are due to the usage of anaphora.In several instances, besides those already listed, Martin Luther King Jr. uses this rhetorical device to sink his point deep into the hearts and minds of those who have heard it. He uses the phrase We can never be satisfied six times in paragraph thirteen. This powerfully blunt statement repeated over and over again is riveting and unifying. Then in paragraph fourteen King uses go back to six times to create a larger size to his efforts. After building up the press this use of anaphora disperses hope of a better tomorrow to all. No matter where, to everyone. Then in the onsecutive parag raph comes to most famous line of a speech possibly ever I have a day-dream. He transitions from we, as a part of the crowd, to I, separating himself as a drawing card sharing his dream. While these lyric poem may be the most famous, the speech ends with another example of anaphora that are the most important words of the speech. They are Let emancipation ring. After alluding to My country tis of thee and its chorus line let freedom ring he expands to say let freedom ring in Pennsylvania, Colorado, California, Georgia, Tennessee and from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. This all encompassing freedom is Martin Luther Kings dream and this beautiful anaphora heightens the grandeur of the allusion. The depth of Martin Luther King Jr. and his speech is seen in his many allusions. Thirteen ends with an allusion to Amos 524 with But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream which echoes in Kings line No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be sa tisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.another(prenominal) biblical allusion is in I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and jackpot shall be make low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all word form shall see it together. Which echoes Isaiah 404-5 Every valley shall be exalted, and very mountain and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all signifier shall see it together for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Both And when this happens, . . . we will be able to speed up that day when all of divinitys children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual and Galatians 328 There is neither Jew nor Gre ek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. All of these biblical references connect the dream of king to the biblical writings.There are two additional non-biblical examples seen in his referencing to My country Tis of Thee and shrive at last works of American music. . Martin Luther King Jr. also makes multiple allusions to the Declaration of Independence (some emitted as previously cited before). Including the direct reiterate of We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. Another very closely related allusion is seen where he says I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.In both instances, King is saying that his dream is no different than that of our founding fathers. What alluding the the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution does is show the legitimacy of his dream it is directly seen in both documents. While it may not be exact anaph ora the repetition of words such as freedom (used twenty times) and justice (eight) must be seen as notable. What they do as anaphora (a rhetorical device) is support the key themes of the whole speech- freedom and justice.If there is any impression to be taken from the speech it is the ideas of equality, justice and freedom for ALL. From the allusions to the metaphors and similes, the I Have a Dream speech is litter with rhetorical devices but what exactly is rhetoric? Rhetoric is is the art of ravish the soul (Plato) and the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion (Aristotle). It is the use of rhetoric that sets this speech a part, makes it so famous and adds to its success in the spreading of one mans dream to change his world for the better.