Analyse af Martin Luther Kings 'I Have a Dream'

On august 28th, 1963 Martin Luther King presented his famous speech to the public, which resulted in great and big changes for the society. And it still remains as one of the greatest speeches in history, there can be found powerful usage and examples of rhetorical devices. Martin Luther King knew how to use metaphors, and repetitions. For example, ‘’Nature’’ is one of the most common metaphors used. ‘’I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.’’ King compares the racism to the desert, and justice being an oasis of water. Here the tenor is the state Mississippi. The desert, and oasis of freedom is the vehicle

Another example is ‘’No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.’’ King describes justice as water in a mighty river. And here justice, and righteousness is the tenor, and the water, and mighty stream is the vehicle.

King appeals to people’s reason by using facts, and using logical arguments, he listed several real situations in which African Americans got discriminated, with these facts King shows that they have a legitimate reason to be angry and protest. Pathos can also be seen here; he appeals to the audience’s feelings with the brutal stories. King also ends on an emotional note, ‘’Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’’