USA HISTORY

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 1861 1865

GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Lincoln’s short speech begins, famously, with the words “Four score and seven years ago.” This is an example of what rhetorical device?
A
repetition
B
loaded words
C
allusion
D
parallelism
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Gettysburg Address rhetorical analysis. Lincoln’s address starts with an allusion to when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Beginning with the phrase, “Four score and seven years ago…” he was referencing the year of 1776, which was 87 years ago (Lincoln).

Detailed explanation-2: -For instance, “four score and seven years ago” refers to the Declaration of Independence of 1776, an intentional allusion to equality and liberty for all people. Lincoln masters imagery in words such as “honored dead.”

Detailed explanation-3: -He stated his speech off with an allusion. “Four score and seven years ago” (Lincoln 1). Lincoln refers to the American Revolution using an allusion to date 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Detailed explanation-4: -“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln is remarkable through the use of rhetorical devices like allusion, antithesis, and tricolon.

There is 1 question to complete.