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Slavery was a common theme in Henry’s speech. What specific imagery did Henry use to illustrate his message? Why would those images have resonated so strongly with his audience?
Henry used the tyranny of Great Britain as his imagery in depicting slavery. In convincing the people of Virginia to enter into war, Henry noted that it is time for the state to engage in war against Great Britain. The continued maltreatment of the British, alongside the failed efforts of Virginia to cultivate peace within the state, prompted Henry to encourage his fellow Virginians to go to war to attain their independence from Great Britain. Most notably, Henry focused on condemning Great Britain in terms of how it takes advantage of Virginia and all other surrounding states that are to form the eventually independent United States (US) after the American Revolution. Contrary to what the British have always asserted on equality, Henry believes that Great Britain has been treating his fellow Virginians as minions meant to serve its own imperial interests. As Henry pointed that out, he emphasized that it is shameful for many Virginians to allow the Great Britain in treating themselves like that, and so he urged them to go to war through his iconic ending phrase “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!”
Fighting against Great Britain is the only way Henry sees in resolving the problem of Virginia in the way the British treat them as slaves and not equals. Since Virginia is continuously losing its resources, it has become a problem for most Virginians to go on with their everyday lives without facing risks in the form of war and poverty. Henry cited those facts as the main reason why Virginians have to fight against Great Britain; that as long as they remain passive, the British will only continue exploiting them under the guise of love and friendship yet through the reality of using their resources. While Henry seemed reluctant to start a war against the British, he emphasized that the circumstances render him and the Virginians without any choice other than to fight Great Britain, noting that it is inevitable for them to go up in arms against them. Furthermore, Henry is motivated to engage in war against Great Britain in terms of the number of troops, as he cited Christianity as one factor that would unite all of the Virginians towards the spirit of going to war against the British. Therefore, it would appear that Henry is emphasizing the value of unity among his fellow Virginians in fighting against slavery imposed by the British, as further emphasized by the black and white nature of his battle cry “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!”
The imagery Henry has conjured for his audience when he delivered his charismatic speech has the specific designed to inspire them to go to war against Great Britain. Henry presented Great Britain as the epitome of evil due to its tendency towards leading the Virginians to become at its slave. Along the same lines, Henry presented Virginia as the victim of Great Britain in terms of slavery, noting that the British are using them under the alibi of friendship and love to take advantage of the resources of Virginians. Certainly, Henry is highly aware that his fellow Virginians do not wish to submit themselves entirely to Great Britain. In the spirit of growing animosity of other states towards the rule of Great Britain, Virginia is among the only ones that have yet to engage in war against the British. That prompted Henry to convince Virginians to engage in war. Convincing his audience that they have to fight Great Britain through addressing the King of Great Britain in the speech enabled Henry to imbue a sense of rebellion into the minds of the Virginians, who eventually realized that they could not stand to become slaves any longer.
Knowing that slavery - in the form of submission as unwilling subjects, is a growing cancer espoused by Great Britain to take advantage of Virginia and other surrounding states, Henry justified that going to war against the British is the only way that could end it. The urgency expressed by Henry on the matter showed that going to war is important for him and for his fellow Virginians just as he would see how valuable his life is. Although there is a strong air of desperation lingering at the time Henry delivered his speech, such is nonetheless the product of pressure amidst growing tensions of other states against Great Britain. Henry noted that Great Britain deliberately ignored the request of Virginia to impose lasting peace instead of war that was already happening in other surrounding states. With that, Henry saw no other resolution than to go to war against Great Britain, since it has been clear for him and for the rest of Virginia that Great Britain only wishes to use them for their own interests as an empire. War, therefore, stood as the only pressing way to show Great Britain that Virginia is against the assertions of the British. Henry, as he convinces people who are initially reluctant like him to go to war against Great Britain, used charismatic prose to raise the spirits of Virginia towards the idea of going to war. Convincing Virginians that Great Britain is not affording them attention towards their concern stood as the key point of Henry as to why Virginia has to go to war. Henry sees liberty from Great Britain as the only possible solution for Virginians to end their plight under their colonizers.
Bibliography
Cohen, Charles. “The "Liberty or Death" Speech: A Note on Religion and Revolutionary Rhetoric.” The William and Mary Quarterly 38, no. 4 (1981): 702-717.
Hample, Judy. “The Textual and Cultural Authenticity of Patrick Henry's “Liberty or Death” Speech.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 63, no. 3 (1977): 298-310.
