The Cooper Union Speech: February 27, 1860, New York City
Rhetorical Devices: Prosopopoeia & Ad Hominem Arguments
Background on the Cooper Union Speech
In the Cooper Union Speech in New York City, Lincoln established himself as a serious candidate for the 1860 presidential election. Previously he had not been nearly as well known in the East as the presumptive Republican nominee, William Seward. In this startling, well-researched speech, Lincoln argued that a majority of the Founders would not have wanted slavery to expand beyond the states or areas in which it otherwise existed.
To hear a bit about the background of this speech from historian Harold Holzer, please slide the scroll bar to watch minutes 8:20 to 10:20 of the video below.
In the Cooper Union Speech in New York City, Lincoln established himself as a serious candidate for the 1860 presidential election. Previously he had not been nearly as well known in the East as the presumptive Republican nominee, William Seward. In this startling, well-researched speech, Lincoln argued that a majority of the Founders would not have wanted slavery to expand beyond the states or areas in which it otherwise existed.
To hear a bit about the background of this speech from historian Harold Holzer, please slide the scroll bar to watch minutes 8:20 to 10:20 of the video below.
Prosopopoeia in the Cooper Union Speech
Lincoln starts the middle section of the Cooper Union Speech by talking to Southerners who are not there.
Strange, right?
The line in which he does this is: And now, if they would listen - as I suppose they will not - I would address a few words to the Southern people.
This rhetorical device is called prosopopoeia.
Click on the video below to hear how to pronounce PROSOPOPOEIA, and then say it yourself a couple of times.
Prosopopoeia occurs when a speaker addresses his or her speech to a person or group who is not actually in the audience.
As Harold Holzer wrote in Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President, Lincoln is addressing this part of the speech "to an entire absent section of the country: the South. He will say what he 'would say to them [emphasis added]' if they could hear him, knowing full well they could not, and would not listen if they could" (131).
So... why do you think Lincoln addresses this part of the speech to the Southerners, knowing they will not hear it and likely will not even read about it in the newspapers?
Discuss your ideas with a partner and write a couple of sentences about what you think, first in the file below and then in this Google form. Your teacher will project everyone's responses onto the board in a couple of minutes.
prosopopoeia_and_ad_hominem_arguments_in_the_cooper_union_speech.docx | |
File Size: | 73 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Comparing Your Responses With Historian Harold Holzer's
How do your responses compare with Holzer's interpretation? Read the quote below and discuss.
"But Lincoln operates in this section on another level as well: having admitted that he knows the South will not 'listen' to his words, what follows is an elaborate attempt to ingratiate himself with his Northern audiences by rallying them around rational, unifying sentiments that the South should entertain if only they were only reasonable on the issue of slavery, and believed what the 'fathers' really intended. Thus what follows is what scholar David Zarefsky has called a 'triangulation' of argumentation, in which Lincoln makes an offer to speak to the South, knowing that Southern newspapers do not print what he says, and immediately going above the heads of Southern audiences to direct his message to the North" (132).
Now, write on your sheet how your interpretation compares with Holzer's. Is it similar or different? How?
Ad Hominem Arguments in the Cooper Union Speech
Prosopopoeia is not the only trick up Lincoln's sleeve in this speech. He also uses AD HOMINEM arguments.
When a speaker uses an ad hominem argument or attack, he or she focuses on the opponent personally rather than focusing on the opponent's arguments.
In Latin, "ad hominem" literally means TO THE MAN. You are attacking the person instead of what he or she says.
On your sheet, brainstorm one benefit and one drawback of using an ad hominem argument in general. Then we'll discuss.
Listening to the Cooper Union Speech
Now, we'll watch four minutes of the Cooper Union speech, the part in which Lincoln addresses the Southerners on the issue of slavery. (The entire speech went for about an hour!) Actor Sam Waterston delivers this speech much as we think Lincoln did, and the reenactment occurred in the same hall at Cooper Union where Lincoln spoke in 1860.
As you watch the video below, follow along with the speech excerpt on your sheet and mark as many times as you can when Lincoln says you or your. When he addresses the South this way, he is using ad hominem arguments.
Please scroll to minutes 48:25 to 52:32 to watch and follow along with this excerpt.
Prosopopoeia is not the only trick up Lincoln's sleeve in this speech. He also uses AD HOMINEM arguments.
When a speaker uses an ad hominem argument or attack, he or she focuses on the opponent personally rather than focusing on the opponent's arguments.
In Latin, "ad hominem" literally means TO THE MAN. You are attacking the person instead of what he or she says.
On your sheet, brainstorm one benefit and one drawback of using an ad hominem argument in general. Then we'll discuss.
Listening to the Cooper Union Speech
Now, we'll watch four minutes of the Cooper Union speech, the part in which Lincoln addresses the Southerners on the issue of slavery. (The entire speech went for about an hour!) Actor Sam Waterston delivers this speech much as we think Lincoln did, and the reenactment occurred in the same hall at Cooper Union where Lincoln spoke in 1860.
As you watch the video below, follow along with the speech excerpt on your sheet and mark as many times as you can when Lincoln says you or your. When he addresses the South this way, he is using ad hominem arguments.
Please scroll to minutes 48:25 to 52:32 to watch and follow along with this excerpt.
The Impact of Ad Hominem Attacks on Lincoln's Argument
Now, take a look at the three slides below to see all the "yous" and "yours" from this excerpt in red.
Reflecting on Lincoln's Message to the South
How effective do you think Lincoln's use of such pronouns was in addressing the South? Write a couple of sentences on your sheet.
Now, pick one phrase or sentence in which he uses one or more yous or yours. Write this sentence or phrase on your sheet, and then explain how you think the use of these words strengthened Lincoln's argument in this sentence.
We will discuss as a class and also put many of your ideas on the board to discover Lincoln's best arguments against slavery in this passage.