Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream Speech Essay

In his book On the Sublime, Longinus rhetorically identifies five principal elements to the art of mastering sublimity, through the use of written texts. Longinus defines sublimity as, â€Å"a kind of eminence or excellence of discourse [†¦] sublimity on the other hand, produced at the right moment, tears everything up like a whirlwind and exhibits the orator’s power at a single blow† (Longinus 347). However, there is great jeopardy when writers seek to produce subliminal messages. Longinus describes the difference between messages being falsely and truly sublime. He characterizes false sublimity as â€Å"puerile† and bombastic. True sublimity will touch the audience’s heart; it goes beyond words, allowing emotion to run through. Furthermore,†¦show more content†¦Greatness of Thoughts Martin Luther King knew from the moment he stepped foot on stage that his speech had an urgency and a purpose. The March on Washington was not something to go i n vain, there was a reason for why some 250,000 people were there, and that purpose was to demonstrate and expose the racial inequalities blacks faced. Above all, Dr. King knew that his speech was not just for the people surrounding him, but also for people all across America. Longinus notes on page 350, â€Å"natural greatness, is the most important. Even if it is a matter of endowment rather than acquisition, we must, so far as is possible, develop our minds in the direction of greatness and make them always pregnant with noble thought† (350). This is exactly what Martin Luther King did. His thoughts were so great that he never knew that not only would his speech, touch the lives of his followers, but those who did not believe, as well as, the world and generations that followed. King’s speech did exactly what he intended it to do. His speech gave reassurance to those who thought about giving up, but because of his thought it transcended into the mind’s of oth er’s and was the reaffirmation to never give up and fight for what is right. â€Å"I have a dream today! I have a dreamShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Martin Luther King Jr s I Have A Dream Speech1480 Words   |  6 PagesMovement, Martin Luther King Jr s I Have A Dream speech was broadcasted across the nation and heard by millions of Americans on August 28, 1963. Throughout the decades, many have promoted the importance of racial equality in America. Leaders such as William J. Clinton, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush have contributed to modern social movements by, doing as Dr. King himself, giving speeches to varying audiences concerning the issue of racial inequality. Above all, Martin Luther King Jr made the strongestRead MoreObservations On The s I Have A Dream Speech By Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.881 Words   |  4 Pages5 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his I Have a Dream Speech on the Washington Mall 47 years ago, and Mother Teresa was born a century ago. Monday: Katrina; Tuesday: I Have a Dream; Today: Mother Teresa After spending a great deal of time on and devoting a good deal of space to the two previous subjects in this series on recent anniversaries, 2005 s devastating Hurricane Katrina and the world-changing 1963 I Have a Dream speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I had looked forwardRead MoreMartin Luther King, Jr.s Speech, I have a Dream, Led to Change in Civil Rights1732 Words   |  7 PagesMartin Luther King, Jr.’s â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech on August 28, 1963 led the way for a much needed change in America’s Civil Rights Era. Martin’s life brought about much needed change to allow black people to have equal opportunities. Martin Luther King, Jr. came from a long line of Southern Baptist Preachers. His father and grandfather’s influence led the way for him to also become a Baptist preacher. The man he was came from his strong convictions in the word of God. This gave him the courage andRead MoreAnalysis of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s I Have A D ream Speech619 Words   |  3 Pages28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered one of the most famous speeches of all time to an audience of more than 200,000 civil rights supporters on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In his, â€Å"I have a dream† speech, King addressed his encouragement of white and black people working together to achieve racial peace and harmony. He especially wanted to teach the young blacks that equality could be gained through the use of non-violence. The main reason King used nonviolenceRead MoreDialectic Journal on Martin Luther King, Jr.s I Have a Dream Speech1057 Words   |  5 Pagestoday, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.† | This was a very good way to start off the speech. Martin Luther King Jr. starts by recalling when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which was the first step to Black freedom, and that what they were doing then was the next phase. | â€Å"This note was a promise that all men, yes, black menRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s I Have A Dream Speech915 Words   |  4 Pages Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his I Have a Dream speech to the thousands of African Americans who had marched on Washington, D.C. at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The date of the speech was August 28, 1963, but it is one that will live for generations. Of course his purpose was to convince his audience on several fronts: he sought to persuade the black community to stand up for the rights afforded them under the Constitution, and he also sought to Read Moreâ€Å"a Comparison of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’S ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech and ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’†.1444 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A Comparison of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’†. 9% Similarity Born in Atlanta Georgia in 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., conceivably lived as one of the greatest social and religious leaders in a country where a group of its citizens had to endure excruciating conditions of disenfranchisement, inferiority and degradation of a second class citizenship by reasons of race, color or origin. In effort to condemn allRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of the I Have a Dream Speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.1219 Words   |  5 Pagesthroughout Washington D.C. August 28, 1963 as Martin Luther King Jr. paved the path to freedom for those suffering from racial segregation. It was the day of the March on Washington, which promoted Civil Rights and economic equality for African Americans. In order to share his feelings and dreams with the rest of the nation, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech encouraging all to overcome racial segregation. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech was very effective due to the use of metaphorsRead More Outliers Essay909 Words   |  4 PagesOutlier Essay: Martin Luther King Jr. An outlier is a person or thing situated away or detached from the main body or system. In other words, an outlier is somebody who goes out of his or her way and does something extraordinary in order to accomplish their goal. Martin Luther King Jr. is a true example of an outlier. In the early 1900s, segregation was strongly recognized in the United States, until Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for what he believed in and made a change. Although he made a differenceRead MoreThe Fight for Freedom1312 Words   |  6 Pageslate 1950’s though the 1960’s, however; Tricia Andryszewski informs her readers that Black Americans had been working for change since before the civil war, but mainly beyond. Some of the most prominent civil rights leaders include Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Philip Randolph, and Bayard Rustin. The two main goals of the civil rights activists being, equal rights and treatment for all races. As a result, the â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech was written by Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who