The American epic war film "Braveheart" (1995), depicts the real events of a late 13th-century war between the Scots and the English warriors. The film features William Wallace who in reality was the warrior that led the Scots to war. Before engaging the English warriors, Wallace addresses his army men with the aim of telling them the truth, convincing them that opposing the tyranny is right and that death is a possibility in the process of protecting their freedom. The lead warrior's short speech is adequately executed with clearly established ethos, pathos and other stylistic devices useful in rightly delivering the message. This paper analyses the speaker's application of those literary devices.
Wallace extensively uses ethos in the speech. For example, the instant introduction "I am William Wallace" (0:04) reaffirms his authority as the leader of the warriors. Most of the army men that William Wallace is addressing have never seen him before and must have had preconceived ideas about his physical appearance. When one of the soldiers interjects him by saying that "Wallace is seven feet tall" (0:07) Wallace downplays that and goes ahead to tell them that he kills by hundreds. He also mentions that he is capable of consuming the English ". .With fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse" (0:14-0:19). Wallace introduces himself using simple words but the words assure Scottish warriors that he is just like one of them and they can trust him to lead them into the war. The statements on his ability to kill in masses also appeal to his character and further reassures the warriors that they have a capable leader. By doing so, the Scottish warriors understand that they do not have to be seven feet tall to fight but they only need to be like William Wallace to fight as he does. Moreover, William's statement that uses antimetabole through the repetition of items in reverse order appears to be his declaration to the men that he is part of them, it is true they are free, and he is just honest.
Wallace uses pathos to focus the beliefs and values of the Scots on freedom. He knows that he has to get the men to a frenzy mood to push them to defend their freedom. Wallace repeats the words "freedom" and "free" which effectively reminds the warriors of their status and the intention of the enemy to take away that freedom. He asks them what they will do without liberty and if they will fight for it to insinuate that if they allow the enemy to take away that freedom, they will still be compelled to fight for it. Therefore, they would instead defend it that and the only way of doing so is by going to war against the English. Wallace's questions regarding freedom appeal to the pride of the warriors on the value of freedom and it also serves to awaken the willingness to act in those who are still afraid of going to war. His words influence the men who are fearful of going to war especially when he tells them that if they do not fight, they will have themselves to blame. Wallace also employs pathos by sending the message to the Scots that they are free men who should not be under the tyrannical rule of the English.
Wallace's last statement in the speech adds to his pathos where he asks the warriors that they have one opportunity to tell the enemy that they can take their lives but not their freedom. That statement serves to move the men into action (1:49-1:54). The speaker helps his audience picture the deathbed then gives them the option of fighting off the enemy instead of living many days without freedom and frailly giving up life on that deathbed.
The speaker uses logos sparingly in his speech. One of his most apparent logical appeals is in his statement about dying when fighting. Wallace tells the warriors the truth about what might happen to them both if they fight and if they opt to run away. The speaker uses an antithesis in the statement "Fight and you may die. Run and you will live at least a while." (1:20-1:24) by using contrasting items "run" and "fight" together and showing that both have the same outcome which is death. Furthermore, he drives the warriors to the reason for dying for a worthy course like freedom than dying later on for nothing.
Kairos is used efficiently because the speech is made just when the warriors are about to go to war and war is unavoidable. Furthermore, Wallace introduces himself few moments before the battle begins and downplays the rumors about him being seven feet tall. What comes out of the last minute speech is the certainty of the speaker that the warriors are going to war and what's needed here is to persuade them to proceed. The last-minute statement also takes advantage of the fact that the warriors are in the right mood to take in words of war and act as warriors.
Wallace also uses a trope in the sentence, "And I see a whole army of my countrymen, here in defiance of tyranny!" (0:28-0:37). Here the speaker substitutes the English with the word tyranny to show how closely associated the two are. The metonymic device helps to send the message that the Scottish men are assembled to defy the oppressive English government (tyranny). The word tyranny does not only substitute the word English but also informs the listener that the English are ruling over the Scots in a despotic manner and the Scots do not like it. By referring to the English as tyranny, Wallace appeals to the emotions of the Scottish men whose hearts are oppressed and justifies why they should fight the English.
In the speech, a warrior in the crowd shouts about the Scots being ten men against two thousand Englishmen after which he says they would instead run and live. The hyperbole used by that warrior in exaggerating the numbers tells the audience that Scot army is smaller and probably weaker than that of the English. It is a way through which the warrior speaks for others who do not have faith in winning the battle or who are afraid of perishing in the hands of English soldiers. However, when Wallace shouts back, "Yes" (1:22), he adds on to his ethos that he is a trustworthy and brave person who is not afraid of leading an army of ten people against another of two thousand men.
Works Cited
Speeches HD. "Braveheart: William Wallace Freedom Speech [Full HD]." 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TME0xubdHQc.
