Funeral Orations in history: Pericles vs Lincoln

Many funeral orations have been made throughout the course of history. Each is very different, some better than others, but one may wonder if there are any connections between them. One may take a look at Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address and Pericles' funeral oration. Lincoln wrote his Gettysburg address during the American Civil war, while Pericles' speech was delivered after the Peloponnesian War. Both of these speeches were made to honor the dead for all of the good they have done for their country, and to show that it is noble to fight hard for one's country. Though it may not seem it at first, these speeches have many connections because both speakers have great love for their nation.

Both Pericles and Lincoln use different appeals in their speeches, including appealing to Patriotism. When soldiers die in battle, fighting for their country, they show the most extreme form of patriotism. In his speech, Lincoln says “These died will not have died in vain” and Pericles says that the Athenian men “nobly fought and died." It is obvious that everyone respects those who die for their country.

Another appeal used is pride. Through their patriotism and other references to the greatness of their country, the speakers show pride for their country, while implying that all listeners should as well. Lincoln glorifies the beginning of America: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Pericles done the same: "In short, I say that as a city we are the school of Hellas, while I doubt if the world can produce a man who, where he has only himself to depend upon, is equal to so many emergencies, and graced by so happy a versatility, as the Athenian." When a leader is speaking so highly of the country in which one lives, how could they not be proud?

Making the people proud of their nation is easy if one glorifies and honors the accomplishments it has made. Lincoln says that a tough time is coming, but he wtill glorifies the nation by saying: “Now we are engaged in a great civil war. . .testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated. . . can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.”

"For Athens alone of her contemporaries is found when tested to be greater than her reputation, and alone gives no occasion to her assailants to blush at the antagonist by whom they have been worsted, or to her subjects to question her title by merit to rule". (Pericles).

Conclusion

Throughout history, wars have gone on. Soldiers that die in war have always been honored, so one can see this in many funeral speeches. The people that deliver the speeches want to show how honorable these people were, fighting hard for their great country. This is why many funeral speeches in history are similar and connected.