Martin Luther King Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

     Martin Luther King's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech was given on December 10, 1964. The speech is epideictic because it is ceremonial. Like many great speakers, in his introduction he alludes to Mark Antony's funeral oration for Julius Caesar. He begins saying, "Your majesty, your royal highness, Mr. President, excellences, ladies and gentlemen". He is demonstrating the rhetorical term imitation or imitation. Orators often imitate past rhetoricians in order to pay homage and display their admiration towards past ancient orators. Within the introduction Dr. King omits the use of conjunctions between each person or group of people that he recognizes. This is an example of Asyndeton It signifies the value of each of the individuals by recognizing them as solely important. Instead of just listing people he takes a brief pause between each name in order to show his gratitude for their attendance. He talks about how he accepts the award. However he then acknowledges that though he as an African American accepts an award regarding peace, there are still 22 million Black Americans of which aren't able to live peacefully. The speech begins to demonstrate the movendi or middle style. He now is trying to inspire blacks within the civil rights movement. He starts to change the focus of his speech to being strictly about him to being about equality within black America. He alludes to the Birmingham march of which black participants were faced with fire hoses, police brutality, and attack dogs. By presenting this information he is informing the audience of the harsh reality of racial injustice in order to make the audience attentive and get them in a receptive mood. Dr. King goes to say, " I question why this award goes to a movement dealing with the black social structure and to a movement that has not yet reached the diverted peace of which the Nobel Peace Prize entails". Dr. King is presenting the audience with a rhetorical question. It is not necessarily meant to be answered but to be pondered upon. He says that the award furthers his belief that nonviolence is the answer in regards to various issues especially discrimination. Dr. King is also exercising deliberative rhetoric because he is trying to persuade the people in as well as outside of the audience that humanity is most progressive when it values equality. He goes to say, "I refuse to believe that man is bound to the starless image of racism". He uses the metaphor to equate racism with darkness. He uses the word "we" numerous times at the beginning of sequential phrases in order to express his unified view of humanity. This demonstrates the Rhetorical term of Anaphora, of which stresses the importance of a word within successive clauses. He ends his speech by suggesting that the prize is more than an honor to him but it also serves as the peace that is to come within America.

"I am Prepared to die Nelson Mandela"

     Within Nelson Mandela's speech entitled " I am Prepared to die", Mandela speaks aggressively on the evils of apartheid. This speech was given while Mandela was on trial. He firmly states that if he were to die  fighting to abolish apartheid, then his death would be justified. He starts his speech by listing a number of demands of the African people. He says, "As Africans we want better wage, we want work of which we are capable of and not what the government deems us capable of, we want a share in the whole of South Africa, We, above all want equal political rights. Mandela is using the anaphora figure of speech by inserting the word "we" at the start of each phrase. This is significant because it suggests unity between the black South Africans. Mandela is also using the figure of speech Asyndeton of which portrays style by eliminating conjunctions. He incorporates this figure of speech not to list a group of various demands,  but to individually express demands that in his opinion were necessary to be adhered to. Not connecting these demands with conjunctions suggests the importance of each demand as individually stated. The style of which these demands are delivered reflects Mandela's stern and authoritative tone. He speaks with a cadence and rhythm without interruption and keeps his voice low for the majority of the speeches duration. His rhythmic and cadence structure of voice demonstrates the rhetorical term actio of which in this case specifically describes his voice variations. He seems to do this in order to acquire the full attention of the audience. He makes it so they must be  a receptive  audience in order to fully understand what exactly he is saying. His purpose of the speech is not to show his willingness to fight and die  for the abolition of injustices within  apartheid but to instill the passion in others to be willing to do the same. For this he uses the Middle style or movendi style in order to move his audience emotionally. The speech is of the epideictic form of rhetoric which means that the oratory is used to inspire the audience. He is also forensically defending himself though he wants his speech to be more a testament to the current state of evils within the  South African practice of Apartheid. Within the speech, Mandela says that he doesn't necessarily want his words to reflect his individual trial only, but he wants it to reflect the issue of abolishing apartheid. He goes on to say that this issue is bigger than himself so he is not entirely  forensically defending himself in court but he is standing up for justice and equality for all people.

Mandela Speech after being elected President

     Like many of  Nelson Mandela's post  imprisonment speeches, the crowd he addressed after his election seemed very engaged and receptive. The speech was given on May 5, 1994. Mandela starts the speech off by saying, " It is the time for healing wounds". This metaphor compares South Africa to a wound and signifies that Mandela himself is prepared to help lead  in the rebuilding process of the  nation. Within the speech keeps reminding the audience that it is now time to rise again. He also talks about how possible it is because of the fact that the seemingly unthinkable has happened and he has become South Africa's first black president. Also he talks about the progression of South Africa as a whole. In each point he demonstrates the classical use of logos or logical implementation of the spoken word. This enhances his power of presentation (classically referred to as Dunamis). The presentation of rhetoric is important in that it  contributes to the effectiveness of the speech as a whole. Aristotle defines Rhetoric as, " The faculty of observing, in any given case, the available means of persuasion." Likewise, Mandela's speech is persuading the South African citizens the Nation of South Africa will become a  place that reflects the people as well as standing up for human justice. This speech is implemented to educate South Africans on legislation and ideas he wishes to implement during his presidency. The strategy of the speech was to display a plan for his next few years in office. Strategy is often used for planning subject matter within the speeches. Orators must strategize when speaking in order to avoid bombast, and empty talk. To fully take advantage of the audiences time it is crucial that an orator premeditates and thinks on his topics. This goes along with the rhetorical term inventio which means to research. Mandela tends to sound like he knows what he must say and that is seen through precision and use of appropriate verbiage and diction. The author's appeal or ethos is shown in his ability to speak with clarity and his understanding of the topic. The type of Rhetoric used by Mandela is epideictic because it is ceremonial and demonstrates how Mandela will handle the next few years of when he is in office. Mandela gives his goals of his next few years in office and he says, "we" commit ourselves to  the construction of a complete, just and lasting peace". With this statement, he is morally connecting with his audience, of which is an effective tool of an orator. This displays understanding as well as the rhetorical ability to relate with an audience.  In this statement Mandela uses the word "WE" to show that in his term he will implement the wants and needs of what's best for the people in order to keep the South Africans at peace. The notion of Unity is portrayed within this statement. As in most of his statements, Mandela uses the word "we" to signify South African as an entire body instead of separate individuals. He says, "We must therefore act together as a united people for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement." The phrase begins with the rhetorical term Asyndeton of which is the  grouping of individual phrases with the omission of conjunctions. This makes the individual phrases seem as if they are one distinct idea within multiple points. After this he states that the current state of South Africa is a glorious achievement. In my opinion the wording of this phrase is very stylistically and appropriately recited. To end his speech, Mandela says, "Let freedom Reign." The words evoke power and thunderous applause. Personally, this is one of my favorite speeches by Mandela and it makes me feel as if his words suggest unity within all humanity. It was so stirringly emotional that I too found myself adding to the applause. That is the effect Demosthenes preached about when he talked about the importance of delivery.