Rhetorical Analysis Of Frederick Douglass Speech

In July of 1852, Frederick Douglass prepares a speech known as The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro. Douglass was a former slave of the 19th century and soon became a leader during the Abolitionist Movement. In his speech, he argues that the Fourth of July is the darkest as well as most mournful day for slaves. Douglass then establishes his argument with distinct rhetorical strategies to make the audience feel the sorrow of which slaves felt. Through the use of allusion, sarcasm, and emotional appeal, Douglass reaches out to the listener to request a change in slavery.

Former slave, Frederick Douglass, in his speech, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July” demonizes slavery. Douglass’s purpose is to convince the audience that slavery is bad. Since Douglass was a former slave, his listeners would put the idea to mind more. He adopts a humble tone, at first, in order to establish confidence in his listeners. Douglass develops ethos in his speech by introducing to his listeners that he was a former slave, and that he is just a normal person.

In historical context, it was not unusual for white slave owners to believe that slaves should have been grateful to their masters for slothing them, feeding them, and delivering them from a dark, heathehen land. Douglass likely may have been alluding to that particular attitude. The tone of speech becomes more indignant. He claims that no nation on earth is guilty of crimes “more shocking and bloody” than the United states. He says its “celebration is a sham” and its “shouts of liberty and equality” are “hollow mockery.”

The idea of freedom has always been an ever changing concept, its definition always being redefined to encompass more people under its protection. In Frederick Douglass's speech, “What to the slave is the fourth of July,” he touches on the general idea of freedom as it pertains to the enslaved. However, his intent extends further than just addressing the hypocrisy of the American holiday. He uses his speech as a means to address the constructs of how the country colonizes and disrespects the black mind. Douglass’s diction in his speech is overly flowery, with the excuse that as a black man he must be a little pompous to display his knowledge and credibility through spoken word.

Douglass claimed that although slavery was abolished, blacks were living under a different kind of slavery after the Civil war. Discrimination and racism was prominent and there were few laws enforced. “So long as discriminatory laws ensured defacto white control over Southern blacks, then ‘slavery by yet another name’ persisted. ‘Slavery is not abolished,’ he contended, ‘until the black man has the ballot’ with which to defend his interests and freedom.” (Howard-Pitney 485).

Douglass establishes his credibility and authority on the issue of slavery and inequality in the United States by drawing on his own experience and expertise. He begins the speech by introducing himself as a former slave and expressing his sadness and disappointment at the Fourth of July festivities which celebrate the nation’s independence while ignoring the ongoing oppression of African Americans. He says, “I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us.” By acknowledging his own identity as a former slave, Douglass gives himself immediate credibility on the issue of slavery and inequality.

Furthermore, Douglass expands referring to the slave, “your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity…a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages” (Dilbeck, 2009, para. 6). In which history proves his acclamation in that Douglass himself had to endure through the blazing sun working as a slave and the adversity of oppression, before his exile from slavery. On the account of for the slave the 4th of July was not a great day, rather they prayed for deliverance from their burden and live the American Dream that for them not the even the scintilla of a gleaming hope was visible at that time. To the slave was the beginning of their suffering, a celebration

The autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written in 1845 in Massachusetts, narrates the evils of slavery through the point of view of Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass is a slave who focuses his attention into escaping the horrors of slavery. He articulates his mournful story to anyone and everyone, in hopes of disclosing the crimes that come with slavery. In doing so, Douglass uses many rhetorical strategies to make effective arguments against slavery. Frederick Douglass makes a point to demonstrate the deterioration slavery yields from moral, benevolent people into ruthless, cold-hearted people.

The Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass shows the imbalance of power between slaves and their masters. In his book, Douglass proves that slavery is a destructive force not only to the slaves, but also for the slaveholders. “Poison of the irresponsible power” that masters have upon their slaves that are dehumanizing and shameless, have changed the masters themselves and their morality(Douglass 39). This amount of power and control in contact with one man breaks the kindest heart and the purest thoughts turning the person evil and corrupt. Douglass uses flashbacks that illustrate the emotions that declare the negative effects of slavery.

Christianity was, to the slaves of America, (something with a double meaning). In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, Frederick Douglass, the author, argues about how Christianity can mean one thing to a free white man and something completely different to a black slave. The slave owners follow the ‘Christianity of the Land’ while the slaves follow the ‘Christianity of Christ.’ Frederick begins to build his credibility to a, white, northern, audience by including documents from trustworthy writers and by getting into personal experiences through his writing. Throughout the narrative, he is articulate in how he writes, and it shows the reader that he is well educated.

He questions his audience of the significance of Independence Day to slaves, and he answers it in an extremely contrasting way: “your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; … your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery,” that the celebration is “a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.” Douglass dismisses the national pride, characterizing it as a mere expression of people’s ignorance. The antithesis, with “greatness” being “vanity,” “sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless,” and “shouts of liberty and equality” being “hollow mockery,” provokes shock and anger from the audience, who have just been part of it and are now degraded as “savages.” However, Douglass was not trying to be inflammatory but provocative, witnessing the pathetic enthusiasm in the anniversary, that people feel exuberant about themselves while ignoring the saddening

Slavery is equally a mental and a physical prison. Frederick Douglass realized this follow-ing his time as both a slave and a fugitive slave. Douglass was born into slavery because of his mother’s status as a slave. He had little to go off regarding his age and lineage. In the excerpt of the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

In 1776, on July 4th, the 13 English colonies officially declared their freedom from England. However, as the years progressed, slavery became incorporated into everyday American life. In 1852, former slave Frederick Douglass gave a speech to celebrate America’s independence; however, instead of praising the country, he censured Americans for saying they were a “country of the free”. In the speech, Hypocrisy of American Slavery, Frederick Douglass declares that Americans should not be celebrating their freedom when there are slaves living in the country. To convince his audience that Americans are wrong celebrating freedom on the 4th of July when slavery exists in their country, he uses emotional appeal, ethical appeal, and rhetorical questions.

When most people hear the words “Fourth of July” they think about fireworks, cookouts, and sparklers. During the 1850’s, the Fourth of July served as a reminder of the many horrors and injustices in the world. On July 4, 1852, Frederick Douglass-- a former American slave, abolitionist leader and adroit speaker-- spoke in Rochester, New York about the affectation of celebrating independence. In his speech, “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery”, he claims celebrating independence is unethical when slavery is widespread. To convince the reader of his claim, he uses rhetorical questions, emotional appeal, and antithesis in hopes of shedding light and sparking action on the wrongful situation.

In 1776, on July 4th, the 13 English colonies officially declared their freedom from England. However, as the years progressed, slavery became incorporated into everyday American life. In 1852, Frederick Douglass, a former slave, was called upon to deliver a speech to celebrate America’s independence; however, he censured Americans for saying they were a “country of the free”. In the speech, Hypocrisy of American Slavery, Frederick Douglass declares that Americans should not be celebrating their freedom when there are slaves living in the country. He uses emotional appeal, ethical appeal, and rhetorical questions to convince his audience that Americans are wrong celebrating freedom on the 4th of July when slavery exists in their country.