Examples of allusion in i have a dream speech

The King of Equality Comment by Katie: Thoughtful title!

On August 28, 1936 Martin Luther King Jr. gave one of the best known speeches in American history. When people commemorate the “I Have a Dream” speech, as it has come to be identified, they recall King’s powerful message about civil rights and the true meaning of freedom in America. In the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King Jr. uses a number of rhetorical devices in order to match his word choice to the strength of his message. Numerous examples of allusion, parallelism, and anaphora are used as tactics to amplify the intensity of his message. Comment by Katie: Great thesis—it makes a clear claim and provides a forecast of your paper’s outline.

King begins his speech with a reference to the Gettysburg address, “Five score years ago…” (King par. 2). The opening allusion is exceptionally moving given that King spoke in front of the Lincoln Memorial. King uses examples of allusions, or references to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. Allusions can be direct or indirect, and are often used to broaden the reader’s understanding. The Gettysburg Address is not the only historical piece referenced in King’s speech; the Declaration of Independence is also referenced in paragraph four of the “I Have a Dream” speech. The speech reads, “This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the ‘unalienable Rights’ of ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness’" (King par. 4). Martin Luther King Jr. addresses the Declaration of Independence in order to get his supporters to recognize the equal rights that they deserve as Americans. In order to provide an honorable basis, King uses numerous biblical allusions. Two examples of biblical allusions used in the speech include Psalms 30:5 and Jeremiah 2:13. King cries ‘It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.” (King par. 2) referring to Psalms 30:5, “For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Dlugan, Andrew). Martin Luther King Jr. is expressing that the struggle for the black community was long and hard but the freedom they will receive will last a lifetime. Jeremiah 2:13 was also a biblical verse King evokes in his speech proclaiming, “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred,” (King par. 8) referring to Jeremiah 2:13, “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water” (Dlugan, Andrew). King is using this biblical verse to explain to his people that they must fight peacefully, without violence and hatred, and if they do they will be rewarded for their peaceful behavior. Comment by Katie: It may be a good idea to start a new paragraph here, since you’re transitioning to a new idea. Comment by Katie: Use the author’s last name and page (or paragraph) number here. Comment by Katie: Be sure to keep verb tense consistent!

The rhetorical device, parallelism, is used in the “I Have a Dream” speech in order to excite the crowd and unite them as one to fight for the same goal. Parallelism is used when King decrees, “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed” (King par. 14). With the repetition of the phrase “go back…” King is electrifying his crowd. Equality of the people fighting together is revealed when King announces, “With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day,” (King par. 26) this is understood with the repetition of the word “together.” With the use of parallelism in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech he is uniting his supporters, both black and white, to fight together for rights they should equally be able to celebrate and enjoy as Americans. Comment by Katie: Nice explanation of why King uses parallelism!