Paper Example on Analysis of MLK's Speech 'I've Been to the Mountaintop'

Introduction

The speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, "I've Been to the Mountaintop", has been analyzed in the paper in terms of the topi, the speaker, the audience, the language used, as well as the sole intention of the speech.

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Topic

The speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop" pays particular attention to the general topic of the strike by Memphis sanitation workers. The topic also focuses on other factors like peaceful protests, unity as well as economic boycotts. All these issues are intertwined with universal themes including religion, violence, and social progress. The initial part of the speech concentrates on social progress since Dr. Martin Luther King alludes to various past events that enhanced humanity. As he explores the protests in Memphis, he advocates for non-violence and unity even as they thrive to attain their goal. For instance, he says, "We've got to stay together and maintain unity." (King, 2). More importantly, the entire speech is characterized by religious allusions, an aspect that indicates to the audience how lessons from religion can lead them as they conduct the protests (Miller, 21). Concerning these aspects, Dr. MartinLuther King challenges the United States to live up to its ideals and as he concludes his speech, he talks about the potential of an untimely death (Long, 5).

Speaker

As a popular speaker championing for non-violent protests, a significant number of Dr. Martin Luther King's peaceful strategies seek to modify the unfair treatment subjected to black people. In his speech, Martin Luther King describes himself in a manner that the audience sees him as experienced and trustworthy. Dr. Martin Luther King hoped to make use of peaceful demonstrations with the hope that both black and white people would treat each other equally and live harmoniously. As a civil rights leader and a Baptist minister, religious beliefs are dominant in almost all of his speeches. It appears as he refers to his religious preferences as a valid reason to work for desegregation. Dr. Martin Luther King is popular for his speech, "I Have a Dream". However, his last speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop" is also equally important.

Audience

The audience of the speech comprises of a congregation that had gathered for a sermon at Mason Temple in Memphis but was also recorded under media coverage, to target both the national and international audience. As he starts his speech, he addresses, Ralph Abernathy, a clergyman where he says, "Thank you very kindly, my friends. As I listened to Ralph Abernathy and his eloquent and generous introduction (King, 1). Additionally, the speech was carefully constructed to help the audience listen and understand each point. This was important to him because he wanted to make sure that they understood the significance of his message. More importantly, Martin Luther King expressed his great desire for peaceful strategies towards racial equality. He, therefore, gave his audience the freedom to choose whether to acknowledge his powerful message, as he made use of rhetorical discourse to get rid of division among his audience. Additionally, Luther King managed to convince his audience to peacefully demonstrate for both economic and civil rights.

Language

Martin Luther King makes the best selection of the types of words to use, the tone, as well as rhetorical devices including repetition and allusion. To make the speech more convincing, the speaker uses different forms of appeal like logos, ethos, and pathos. In his speech, Dr. Martin Luther King appeals to logic, authority, and emotions to create a convincing case in favor of the movement of civil rights in Memphis (Kirk, 52). In his speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop", Dr. Martin Luther King expresses his lifelong dream, which is equality. As a relatable and charismatic speaker, that night he appealed well to the audience just like in his other speeches. In this speech, Martin Luther used heavy Biblical allusions which were effective since the audience was members of a church congregation. Using these Biblical allusions implied the importance of religious teachings in guiding their actions during the strikes.

Martin Luther King makes great use of ethos, logos, and pathos to motivate and direct his audience since his main idea is to persuade many people to support the sanitation strike at Memphis. The use of pathos and emotions is important in this case as the audience can relate to and empathize with the current state of sanitation in Memphis. Additionally, it appears like Luther King is trying to make the audience relate the sufferings that the sanitation workers experience and therefore inspiring them to strike and fight for their fair and just treatment. He also attests that the protesters are not afraid and neither the fire hoses or police dogs can stop them from fighting for their rights. Martin Luther uses the example of the protestors in Birmingham who were not scared of being stopped by the police but strived to achieve their goals. As he moves on with his speech, Dr. Martin Luther King approaches his audience with the use of logical arguments. This way, he can persuade black people, who are treated unfairly to fight for their economic power by stating, "We have an annual income of more than thirty billion dollars a year, which is more than all of the exports of the United States and more than the national budget of Canada. Did you know that? That's power right there if we know how to pool it" (King, 4).

Dr. Martin Luther King also makes use of ethos when he states that "somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech, Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for rights." (King, 4). In this statement, he is demonstrating that despite the mistreatment of black people in Memphis, they still have the right to freedom of speech. Besides, they have the right to peacefully demonstrate against their ill-treatment. He also uses very fascinating rhetorical techniques by moving around and drawing special attention to various times and people he viewed as important in his work. This approach of using ethos gives him authority as he refers to a history that has added a great deal of knowledge to him. For instance, he says that "I would move on by Greece, and take my mind to Mount Olympus. And I would see Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides, and Aristophanes assembled around the Parthenon applause, and I would watch them around the Parthenon as they discussed the great and eternal issues of reality." (King, 2). Such statements in his speech create a sense of delight and integration among his audience since it brings them to the times when the world was fair and just. Besides, he properly used the repetition of some phrases, which worked well to draw the attention of his listeners. This is evidenced by the fact that the audience cheered and raved with every utterance. In most of the phrases, Martin Luther King makes a repetition of "I would even" when reflecting on a different event. It also appears that Martin Luther King is comparing and contrasting slaves in Ancient Egypt and African Americans to demonstrate that for the black people to win the fight against discrimination they ought to be united. Martin Luther King is also fair because he is hopeful that all the Americans and other people in Memphis will be united to achieve equality regardless of race or color.

Circumstances

When sanitation workers were being treated unfairly and worked under unfair conditions, Dr. King was In Memphis, Tennessee. It is this time that he delivered the "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech in at Mason Temple with the attempt to fight for justice to the mistreated workers On April 3, 1968. The proximity of the Biblical times and his period was a clear reflection of how the issues were and how they could be resolved using a vision. Martin Luther King begins his speech by upholding himself as a man who understood and had the best interests for his people. He adds to say that he would forego the best moments of his life to be exactly where he was and therefore showing dedication to his people.

Martin Luther King uses the speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop" as an empowering sermon strategy to motivate his audience to proceed with their fight for economic and social justice. The main focus of the speech is the poor working conditions of the sanitation workers in Memphis who went on strike in April 1968. The strike was important because it enhanced the promotion of black and African-American when they were being treated unequally and discriminated against. Additionally, the strike brought attention to the issues that black people had been experiencing over a long time.

Intention

According to Dr. Martin Luther King, to make the slavery period longer, Pharao only needed to make the slaves fighting among themselves. Therefore, he encouraged the civil rights community to remain united to attain their goals. Martin Luther restored the faith of his people by reminding them of their success in Birmingham. He motivated them by telling them that there was no need to be anxious as they would be successful just like before. Such motivation was important for King as he viewed it as the starting point of explaining his intentions. He also explains some of the benefits they would enjoy after the amendment. In this case, Martin Luther King uses repetition as a rhetorical device and says that "Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for the right" (King 4), (REF). Additionally, Luther King makes use of logos once more by reflecting some words from documents that are considered most crucial in the country, and therefore providing factual evidence.

The speaker designs the initial part of the speech to enable him to develop trust and authority in his audience. This way, he can persuade them that they are in a crucial historic moment. The ethos used by the speaker gives him authority as he refers to history. The sole intention of the speaker is to promote non-violence and unity. He intends to persuade the black people to remain united even as they demonstrate peacefully. To attain this objective, Martin Luther King makes a lend of both appeals to reason and appeals to trust. The speaker also intends to make his audience empathize with those in the front line of the protest by using appeal to emotions. The speech intends to convince leaders and preachers to enhance and be part of the Civil Rights Movement. He does so by referring to role-models ministers like James. Other objectives of the speech are to provide a personal reference of resilience and to fight for an economic boycott while criticizing the authorities.

Conclusion

At the end of the speech, Martin Luther King states, "like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land" (King, 8). In this case, he assures the audience of winning the fight and becoming free from discrimination.

Bibliography

King, Martin L. "American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. -- I've Been to the Mountaintop (April 3 1968)." American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States. Web. 25 Jan. 2011.

The actual speech of Martin Luther Kings

Kirk, John. "The Long Road to Equality." History Today 59.2 (2009): 52-58. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Jan. 2011.

The article pays attention to movement of civil rights

Long, M. G. (2002).Against us, but for us : Martin Luther King, Jr. and the state(1st ed.). Macon, Ga.: Mercer University Press.

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