A Rhetorical Analysis of Washington’s Farewell Address

Today you will be analyzing Washington’s use of rhetoric in his farewell address and evaluating its effectiveness as compared to another politician of the Revolutionary time period, Patrick Henry.

Your analysis of Washington’s difficult text will be guided by the following questions.

Analysis 1

The founding fathers were educated in the Greek and Roman classics; therefore, it makes sense that classical forms of rhetoric would be infused in their speeches. Two founding fathers assisted Washington with the writing of his address: Alexander Hamilton and James Monroe. Both received classical educations—Hamilton at King’s College (now Columbia) and Monroe at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton).

One ancient rhetorical form is the apologia. Apologia is a specific genre in which an orator defends himself or his actions against accusation.

  • What accusation does Washington defend himself against, in advance of it being made, in the opening paragraphs of the address?
  • What specific quote best illustrates the apologia?
  • By making this apology in advance, what does Washington preclude the congress from doing had it decided to do so?
  • By placing this apologia at the opening, how does Washington hope to give the remarks that follow greater ethos? (Ethos establishes the speaker’s character or why the speaker is qualified to speak on the subject) Focus especially on paragraph 7 in your analysis.
  • What would the effect be of placing the opening apologia last rather than at the beginning? How would his reader’s and listeners felt about the main points of the speech if he had ended with it rather than ended with his discussion of the nation’s neutrality? (Need a hint: he would have ended on a personal note rather than ending on a logical note.)
  • Later in the address, specifically paragraphs 32 and onward, what policy of Washington’s does he also offer an apology for?
  • What specific action of his administration does Washington defend?
  • In real life when we hear someone defend him or herself, we find it easier to listen to the person and evaluate his or her reasoning if the speaker is deferential and somewhat humble rather than boastful and arrogant. Find evidence in the early paragraphs that Washington adopts a deferential and humble tone. Provide two quoted statements that illustrate his tone, and within the statements underline key words or phrases that exhibit his tone.

Analysis 2

Prior to completing this rhetorical analysis, you need to read Patrick Henry’s famous “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention” in 1775. Many of you will recognize it as the “Give me liberty or give me death” speech.

In an essay analyzing Washington’s rhetoric (see footnote below), Halford Ryan writes, “The ability to coin a metaphor has always been prized in oratory, for metaphorsinvite audiences to perceive new relationships and to attribute to the speakera sharp intellect (9).

  • In paragraph 25 what does Washington liken political parties to?
  • Why is the metaphor a particularly apt one given the type of discourse or language usually employed by partisan political parties?
  • Pathos is another rhetorical device in which the orator appeals to and plays upon the emotions of his audience. By what metaphor in paragraph 32 does Washington make an emotional appeal? (Quote the text)
  • Why would this appeal have been immediately understandable to the white audience of Washington’s address?
  • Where in his famous speech does Patrick Henry, writing 18 years earlier, first utilize the same metaphor? (Quote the text and paragraph)
  • Looking at both metaphors, whose is more effective and why? (In your analysis consider elements such as diction and syntax)

Analysis 3

Washington and Henry have very different styles. Building upon your analysis of their use of metaphor in the previous section, write a paragraph that describes the essential stylistic differences in the two pieces. Focus especially on diction and syntax in your analysis and provide brief examples from each to support your description.

  • Ryan described Washington’s oratory style in this way: “Washington was not a dynamic speaker.He was aware of his shortcomings and did not like to speak in public. His voicewas characterized as undistinguished, he spoke slowly, and he seldom gesticulatedfor force or emphasis and when he did, his gestures were awkward and stiff (3-4). How is Washington’s style reflective of his personality?
  • Washington never delivered his address publically. Rather, it was disseminated in print through the various newspapers of the day. How is his style indicative of the format?
  • Patrick Henry was a delegate to the convention and considered to be the “voice of the revolution” when he delivered his speech. Washington was ending his second term as the first president of the nation. Explain how the offices of the two men and their different purposes are reflected in their different styles.

Analysis 4

Washington makes use of rhetorical questions throughout his address. Ryan defines the rhetorical question as, “A

rhetorical question is a question so phrased that it elicits from the audience thedesired response, which may be vocal or quiet assent to oneself (9).

  • Locate two instances where Washington makes use of a rhetorical question.
  • For each, explain what idea or response Washington intended for the question to elicit from his audience.

In addition, although often associated with poetry, to give forcefulness to their ideas orators often employ alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds. Scan the following paragraphs for examples of Washington’s alliteration. (Actually, both examples are Hamilton’s. Remember, he was a “ghost writer” for the address).

  • Paragraph 6
  • Paragraph 19

Finally, another rhetorical device used for emphasis is the Tricola. Tricola is the placing of phrases, clauses, words, in a unit of threes.Scan the following paragraphs for evidence of Washington’s use of Tricola.

  • Paragraph 6
  • Paragraph 45

Analysis 5

The order in which an orator presents his or her arguments can have an impact on how those arguments are received. You have already examined this principle in the first analysis.

  • Make an argument for why Washington felt it necessary to place the central ideas of paragraph 9 and 10 before paragraph 15.

The exercise derives many of its terms and ideas from the essay “The Rhetoric of Washington’s Farewell Address” by Halford Ryan in Speaker and Gavel, 2001.