Patrick Henry - Reflection Blog

Patrick Henry's speech has more to do with rationalism than with anything else we have learned about so far, such as the Puritan writing style. Unlike the Puritan writing style, I think Henry's speech is more logical and reasonable. The Puritan writing style that we looked into before was more dramatic and unreasonable. Also, most of the writing had something or other to do with religion because that is what their colonies were based off of. Rationalism however, is different. Right now in history we are learning about an idea that was going around in the 1700s called Enlightenment. Enlightenment was a pretty big deal back then because it changed the way people started to think about certain thing such as God, nature and society in general. Rationalism I think is kind of the same thing as Enlightenment a little bit. Instead of some of the other passages we read about God and how he is holding us over the pit of Hell, Rationalism is well, more rational. Henry talks about his stuff in a more reasonable tone and also I think looks at it from a more logical stand point than a religious one. On the other hand, Patrick Henry does refer to God still a couple of times in his speech. So I think that even though it was the start of rationalism. The Puritan era did not just disappear out of the blue or right away. Maybe this was just kind of the transition period. I think that Patrick Henry backs up his speech very well. For example, Patrick Henry states, "Shall acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?" (Henry 118) Patrick Henry is pretty much saying that if we do not take immediate action and fight, then we will eventually be taken over by our enemies. One of Patrick Henry's famous quotes was "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" (Henry 118) Patrick Henry was totally against slavery. He wanted really badly for them to fight in the war against slavery. Originally, they were not going to fight. Patrick Henry talks about how they were called weak , but then he refers back to God saying that we have a just God who is fair and will provide for them, good friends that shall help them fight in the battle. This is what makes me think about Henry's speech not being totally rational. However, you can still tell that compared to other speeches and stories that we have read, there is a great deal more rationalism in there as well. For example, when Henry says, "Our brethren are already in the field, why stand here idle?" (Henry, 118) This I believe is a rational statement. He is asking them why we would not help our brothers that are already out there fighting? Those are some of the things that make Patrick Henry's speech more rational then some of the others we have read.

Henry, Patrick. "Speech to the Second Virginia Convention." Glencoe Literature. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009. 114-119. Print.