Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat: Analysis

Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat: Analysis

Symbols, Motifs, and Rhetorical Devices

Rhetoric

PathosThe last paragraph of Churchill's speech is clearly a rousing appeal to the audience's emotion. You don't refer to "monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of...

Structure

Speech Unlike some other political speeches, this one's short and sweet. The man had places to go and things to do. You know, like fight the Nazis and save civilization. Churchill was famous for h...

Tone

Professional, MotivationalChurchill spends the first half of his speech dropping information, so he keeps things pretty straightforward and logical. Even in the moments when he gets a little more d...

Writing Style

Straightforward, PassionateChurchill's style changes from the first half of the speech to the second. During the first half, he's conveying information to his colleagues and keeps his style very st...

What's Up With the Title?

Like many speeches, Churchill's is named for a memorable phrase he utters during the speech. Since most speeches aren't given formal titles by the author, the famous ones are known either by someth...

What's Up With the Opening Lines?

Churchill opens his speech to Parliament by explaining what's happened over the past couple days:On Friday evening last I received His Majesty's commission to form a new Administration. It as the e...

What's Up With the Closing Lines?

Churchill ends his speech on an upbeat note: But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim t...

Tough-o-Meter

(4) Base Camp The "Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat" speech is short and sweet. Well, maybe not so sweet, but it's short, at least.Churchill is a brilliant man speaking to other highly educated men,...

Shout-Outs

In-Text ReferencesHistorical References Churchill's appointment of Neville Chamberlain, Clement Atlee, Arthur Greenwood, and Lord Halifax to his initial war cabinet the day he became prime minister...

Trivia

Someone recently discovered that Winston Churchill believed in aliens, but in the most scientifically logical way possible. Because, of course, on top of everything, he was pretty knowledgeable abo...