Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
Martin Luther King Jr., an American Christian minister and activist, gave his famous speech “I have a dream” in 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The speech is considered a rhetorical masterpiece with its eloquent and persuasive structure, which influenced and inspired America to come together as one country. King employed the techniques of metaphor, repetition, and symbolism to move his audience of activists to fight for their freedom. The speech is written in such a manner that it elicits an emotional response from the audience.
Metaphors, Repetition, and Symbolism
King uses the technique of metaphor to explain the struggles of racism faced by the black community. He refers to the African Americans as living on a “lonely island of poverty” while the rest of the community lives in an “ocean of material prosperity”. King also calls the path to racial justice a “sunlit path” compared to the “dark and desolate valley” that racism is.
His speech instills hope in his listeners and urges them to fight for a better future. Repetition is another attribute of the speech and one of the most significant. King builds up his speech by repeating, “I have a dream…”. It is a technique that eminent speakers across the globe have used to arouse emotions in a crowd.
The repetition of “I have a dream” gives emphasis to the points King makes and succeeds in engaging the listeners effectively. Symbolism has also been used by King in his speech. He uses the term “a bad check” to symbolize the plight of the African Americans, “a check that has come back marked ‘insufficient funds’.”
King talks about how he refuses to believe the bank of justice is bankrupt; he argues that bitterness should not take over their emotions while waiting for a better tomorrow. King’s speech was revolutionary, and it paved the way for a peaceful fight against racism and injustice.
FAQs
1- What was the impact of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech?
Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech inspired African Americans to begin a movement that resulted in the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It also played a role in ending racial segregation in the United States.
2- Why is Martin Luther King Jr. associated with Gandhi?
Though the two never got to meet, King was deeply inspired by Gandhi. He drew upon Gandhi’s concept of non-violence in his activism.
3- When is Martin Luther King Day?
Martin Luther King Day is celebrated on the third Monday of January every year. It will be celebrated on the 16th of January in 2023
4- How did Martin Luther King Jr. die?
He was assassinated on the 4th of April 1968. King was shot while he was on the second-floor balcony of his motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
5- Did Martin Luther King Jr. win a Nobel Prize?
Four years before he passed away, King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for “his non-violent struggle for civil rights for the Afro-American population”.
