Patrick Henry’s Speech to the Virginia Convention Essay Example

In his speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses, Patrick Henry tries to persuade the members that it is time to take up arms against the British. Targeting both the hearts and minds of his listeners through emotional and logical appeals, Henry uses rhetorical questions, figurative language, and repetition to convince them that it is time to take decisive action.

Henry uses rhetorical questions to make them think of the decision they should make. Some of the rhetorical questions are “Why stand here we idle? and “What is it that gentlemen wish? ”(85). Rhetorical questions are very helpful in this speech because it makes his audience think twice about what he is saying. In the speech Henry uses figurative language, like similes and metaphors, to compare things. An example of