Rhetorical Analysis of Robert F. Kennedy's Speech on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination
Overview
This essay analyzes Robert F. Kennedy's eulogy speech delivered in Indianapolis following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. The paper examines Kennedy's use of logos, ethos, and pathos as rhetorical devices to persuade the audience toward peace and understanding rather than violence and racial retaliation during a critical moment of national unrest.
What this essay covers
- Introduction contextualizing Kennedy's speech and its significance in preventing violence
- Analysis of logos: Kennedy's logical appeals to justice, understanding, and the dangers of cyclical violence
- Analysis of ethos and pathos: Kennedy's ethical appeals through Martin Luther King's values and emotional appeals referencing his brother's assassination
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Martin Luther's Eulogy
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Martin Luther's Eulogy
The speech that Robert F. Kennedy gave about Martin Luther's death is phenomenal because of the outstanding features it contains. By listening to it is clear that it was thoroughly thought out, and the message was deliberate. The president does not read from any script, but the coherence is remarkable; this feature is common in almost all his speeches, and its main function is to connect to the audience. Martin Luther had just died, and there was no point in trying to coat the truth. However, he was tasked with ensuring there was peace after the burial because it was at the height of hatred and animosity between races. The works and words of Martin Luther were well known, and it was apparent that he had been killed because of the black movement he was motivating. While there was no other way to break the news to the Indianapolis people, there were ways he could use to persuade the audience not to resort to violence out of bitterness. To achieve this, he used logos, ethos, and pathos that are tied to the neo-Aristotelian methods of delivery.
Logos was elaborate in his speech, and while he did not mention any words of Martin Luther, the words resonated with the messages Luther was spreading throughout his ministry. The apparent action that bitter people would take is to resort to revenge and show their frustration.