The Rhetorical Power of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Speech Background

President Abraham Lincoln served as the speaker in the Gettysburg Address, delivering his remarks at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1863. The event was overshadowed by the aftermath of one of the deadliest and most conclusive clashes of the American Civil War, which occurred from July 1 to July 3 of that year. The audience comprised not only the immediate attendees—civil war veterans, families of the fallen soldiers, and national dignitaries—but also the broader American populace and future generations.

Speech Analysis

Ethos

Lincoln’s speech is renowned for using the three Aristotelian appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos (Osman et al., 2021). Ethos is demonstrated through Lincoln’s moral character and authority as the President during a time of national crisis. His opening line, “Four score and seven years ago”(Lincoln, 1863), references the nation’s founding and the Declaration of Independence, further establishing his speech within a context of cherished national principles.

Logos

Logos, or logical appeal, is found in the structure and brevity of the address. Lincoln’s argument is concise and clear: the war tests whether a nation “conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”(Lincoln, 1863) can endure.

Pathos

Pathos, or emotional appeal, permeates the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln’s words evoke the soldiers’ sacrifice and the nation’s grief. Phrases such as “we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground” resonate with humility and sorrow, recognizing the soldiers’ ultimate sacrifice while simultaneously galvanizing the living to resolve “that these dead shall not have died in vain” (Lincoln, 1863).

Message

Lincoln’s speech aimed to honor the deceased soldiers and reframe the Civil War as a battle for the Union and the notion of universal fairness. The subject of the address is the enduring significance of the battle, the war at large, and the broader ideals for which the Union stood.

Tone

Lastly, the tone of the Gettysburg Address is solemn, reverent, and resolute. Lincoln’s measured cadence and poignant word choice create a somber mood befitting the gravity of the occasion, yet his final appeal—”that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”(Lincoln, 1863) —leaves the audience with a sense of hopeful determination.

References

Lincoln, A. (1863). The Gettysburg address.

Osman, W. H., Musa, M. A. H., Rahim, S. A., & Tobi, B. (2021). Aristotle’s triad of persuasiveness in English language writers’ written text. Learning, 6(41).

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StudyCorgi. "The Rhetorical Power of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address." October 10, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/the-rhetorical-power-of-lincolns-gettysburg-address/.

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StudyCorgi. 2025. "The Rhetorical Power of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address." October 10, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/the-rhetorical-power-of-lincolns-gettysburg-address/.

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