Literary devices are an important instrument to be used in a variety of speeches as a powerful tool for illustrating one’s emotions and portraying different events. A famous spokesperson, Martin Luther King, used an array of literary allusions in his speech, “I have a dream,” which resonated deeply within the hearts of his listeners. To emphasize his points and incredibly impact the audience, King used such instruments as literary allusions, which allow referring to a particular event to improve the speaker’s influence. As such, when beginning his speech, King said, “Five score years ago, a great American […] signed the Emancipation Proclamation” (King). Thus, King made an allusion to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, a speech that was delivered by the American President in 1963. By quoting Lincoln in front of the President’s monument, King enhanced the power of his words and continued the President’s fight against the discrimination against African-Americans.
Another allusion utilized by King was the reference to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, two crucial documents in the history of America. As such, he says, “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note…” (King). Considering that these regulations refer to all people as equal, King was highlighting the inequality in the evident segregation of the African-American community. Finally, King also uses a reference to a patriotic song well-recognized among the people of America. King says, “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty” (King). He quotes the lines from the “America, my country, ’tis of thee,” reminding the public of the American ideas of liberty and freedom, as well as of nationalism.
Work Cited
King, M. L. (2022). Read Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream speech in its entirety. NPR. Web.