The Gettysburg Address Questions and Answers | Gettysburg Address Analysis
Abraham Lincoln was an American Statesman and lawyer who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in April 1865 . Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, its bloodiest War and its greatest moral, constitutional and political crisis. He preserved the Union, abolish slavery, strength the federal government and modernized the U. S. economy.
His Gettysburg Address became an iconic call for nationalism, republicanism, equal rights, liberty and democracy.
Gettysburg Address Analysis |
During the first three days of July 1863 , the civil War armies of the North and south slaughtered each other in the fields surrounding the town of Gettysburg. By the evening of the third day, fifty thousand people were killed, wounded or missing.
General Robert E. Lee had to leave his dead on the field when he retreated to the south. The various States of the Union wanted to carry their dead back home to churchyards and family plots for burial, but the governor of Pennsylvania had to forbid this in order to prevent the spread of disease.
All the Northern states were asked to contribute to a common cemetery for the Gettysburg dead - a new exercise in cooperation. When it came to dedicate the cemetery, the greatest orator of the time, Edward Everett, was asked to give a grand speech describing the battle and praising the Northan soldiers.
The president of the United States was also invited to speak at the formal opening of the gravasite. He would not deliver "the oration", according to the day's printed program ; he would Just make some brief "remarks" . Abraham Lincoln prepared those remarks very carefully. Though he spoke for only three minutes, the crowd broke into applause five times. In 272 words he gave the battle a higher meaning. These men died, he said, to make Americans live up to their own beliefs - the belief in human equality, in the possibility of self - government. The pledge made by Americans in the Declaration of Independence had to be met - the pledge that - "all men are created equal".
Uniqueness of "The Gettysburg Address" -
In just 272 words and ten sentences Lincon completed the speech within 2 minutes. And Lincoln struck a chord that could resonate not only with audience but one that could resonate through times.
Context of "The Gettysburg Address"-
America was in thr midst of a bloody civil union troves had only four months earlier defeated conference truth at the battle of Gettysburg widely recognise at the turning point of the war.
Purpose of " The Gettysburg Address "-
The purpose of the speech was to dedicate a plot of land that would become soldiers (union troves) National cemetery to honour the fallen.
Tone of " The Gettysburg Address "-
In the first paragraph we see the reverend tone.
From the sentence "The word will........ the last full measure of devotion " , here we find the Humble tone.
And from the sentence " That we here highly resolve........ From the earth" we see the fervent tone.
Rhetoric devices or Literary devices used in "The Gettysburg Address" -
1.Allusion
2.Anaphora
3. Assyndeton (when sentence continued without conjunction)
4. Parallel structure ( we can not dedicate -we can not consecrate -we can not hallow).
5.Antethesis ( opposite idea, in The Gettysburg Address, 1863 here in this sentence we see the opposite idea "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here "... but actually the world will note)
6.Irony ("The world will little note, nor long remember" but in future the world remember his speech, so what he had said that did not happened)
7. Allusion preamble to Constitution ethos ( Government of the people ,by the people, for the people)
8. Alliteration (when sound repeated, like poor power in The Gettysburg Address, 1863 )
9. Repetition of the same consonant in short gap it's called consonance like Battlefield, final fitting) ... One can effective much more his speech by using consonance.
10.Governing Metaphore - The word which unified our emotion its called Governing metaphor. It must be evocative, like "Nation", "Conceived", " Dedicated " , " Live " , "Border", "Endure", " Shall not perish"
11. Opposite word - Death - live
The Gettysburg Address Questions and Answers
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address worked almost by magic by incantation. It cast a spell. He held out a mystical vision of the spirit that should breath through all our laws. It is the best example in history of the fact that nothing is more practical then idealism, that ideas matter, that words one more important than weapons.
Not only the Battle of Gettysburg, but the whole civil war, means to us today what Lincoln said it must mean at that dark time of mourning for dead. The nation he belived, could be reborn out of those deaths and it was.
What is the unfinished work that those listening to the speech are asked to achive in "The Gettysburg Address"?
- "The Gettysburg Address" is one of the famous speech by Abraham Lincoln who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in April 1865.
Unfinished work is the remaining task for every generation and to remain in nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal and government of the people, by the people,for the people shall not perish from the earth . This earthly unfinished task and great task remaining of every generation. Lincoln's generation is not exception.
What is the impact of starting the third paragraph with 'but' in "The Gettysburg Address" ?
- In the third paragraph the speaker presentes the idea of rebirth and it starting with 'but' because through this word abrupt changes comes. The word 'but' is a indication of thought change in a larger sense and "But" lates the speech on focus the ultimate thought something greater emphasis.
How does the meaning of the word "dedicate" Change over the course of the text and what does it reveal about "Gettysburg Address"?
- This is an evocative speech which can inspiring and motivating and make a man responsible.
The word "dedicate" used six times in the speech. At first Lincoln presents that how dedicated in their new nation and the civil War offers the challenge to any nation and also Lincoln presents the idea of dedication to completing an unfinish task which is remain for every generation.
What happened "four score and seven years ago" in "The Gettysburg Address"? And Why does Lincon start with this?
Four score and seven years ago United States father brought forth their new nation America, declared its freedom from British colonialism and they moved on embarked towards making or building a great Nation.
Lincoln start with this because it sounds much more poetic and elegant and much more novel 87 years ago. Four score is also a allusion which tendency is to evoke ethos.
In first sentence what does Lincoln tell us about this new nation in "The Gettysburg Address"?
In first sentence Lincoln presents the struggle of their fathers and how they brought forth their independence from British colonialism and as a mother conceived her baby in that way the United States conceived in liberty and this nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal by something else.
What is being tested by the war in The Gettysburg Address ?
- "The Gettysburg Address" become an iconic call for nationalism, republicanism, equal rights, liberty and democracy.
The civil War happened on April 12 in 1861 regarding the issue of slavery and in Gettysburg fifty thousand people mudered. The civil War tested the endurance power of the nation U. S. A. Or any nation which is so conceived and so dedicated and the great nation will be for the civil War.
When Lincoln says the nation was "so conceived and so dedicated", what is he reffering to in "The Gettysburg Address"?
- "The Gettysburg Address" is one of the famous speech of only ten sentence and two hundred seventy two words by Abraham Lincoln. Eighty seven years ago United State got it's freedom but in 1861 the nation engaged in a great civil war but Lincon extends the significants of the fight beyond the borders of United States. Here 'so conceived and so dedicated ' referred the founding principles of nation or any nation. As the word 'conceived ' , ' dedicated' United our emotion. So it's called governing metaphor.
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