TOW #11 – Second Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln

In the midst of the Civil War, entering into his second term in office, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his inaugural address per the precedent established by Washington. Approximately four years after the start of the Civil War, Lincoln recognized the fragility of the Union and hoped to address the most significant issues in the United States (Staff). Employing juxtaposition, chiasmus, and anaphora, Lincoln uses rhetoric to produce an appeal to pathos and shift American perspectives during the Civil War. When introducing the intense topic of the lasting war between the Confederacy and the Union, Lincoln juxtaposes survival and death: “…one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish” (Lincoln 2). Establishing his position on the war, Lincoln weighs the purpose of war for the Confederacy and compares it to that of the Union. Claiming that the Union fights to heal the nation evokes patriotic emotions that can rebuild an exhausted population. Contrary to that one-sided position, Lincoln employs chiasmus to provide a common ground for the Confederates. Lincoln recognizes, “It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces,” instead proclaiming, “let us judge not, that we be not judged” (Lincoln 3). He responds to grievances in the Union, maintaining that while the shared reason for entering war was different from the Confederacy, they are still as responsible for participating. Thus, Lincoln builds towards a resolution to this lasting war between the North and the South. Lastly, Lincoln employs anaphora to make a call to action: “…let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds … to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations” (Lincoln 4). Including all Americans in a single nation, Lincoln makes one last attempt towards restoration of the country within his address. He recognizes the impact the war had on the divided nation, using anaphora to effectively unite the North and the South by listing the steps that must be taken. Considering the intensity and importance of the occasion, Lincoln employs juxtaposition, chiasmus, and anaphora, thereby showing a divided America that common ground is shared and that it is in the best interest of the rivals to restore peaceful relations under a single government.

Works Cited

Lincoln, Abraham. “Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln.” The Avalon Project, Yale Law School, 4 Mar. 1865, avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/lincoln2.asp.

Staff, History.com. “The Civil War Begins.” History.com, A+E Networks, 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-civil-war-begins.