The Following Artifacts Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural

The Following Artifacts Abrahams Lincolns Second Inaugural Address

The following artifacts, Abraham’s Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” and Emily Dickinson’s poem “Success Is Counted Sweetest,” were written at about the same time, and each is written with reference to the Civil War. The two pieces are often held to represent two different types of discourse: Lincoln’s address is categorized as rhetoric, while Dickinson’s work fits best into the category of poetry. Thinking back on the characteristics of rhetorical discourse discussed in this chapter, what case could be made, if any, for distinguishing Lincoln’s work from Dickinson’s? Do they belong in different literary categories? Refer back to the resources of language – argument, appeal, arrangement, and artistic devices – in thinking about these two pieces. Does each employ all four resources?

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The Civil War period in American history produced two remarkable works: Abraham Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” and Emily Dickinson’s poem “Success Is Counted Sweetest.” Although both were created during the same era and with the Civil War as a central context, they exemplify different modes of literary expression—rhetoric and poetry—which can be distinguished through their respective employment of language resources: argument, appeal, arrangement, and artistic devices.

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is an exemplar of rhetorical discourse, characterized by its structured argumentation, appeals to moral and divine authority, strategic arrangement of ideas, and use of literary devices to persuade and unify a fractured nation. Lincoln employs logical reasoning by reflecting on the causes of the war, particularly slavery’s role, and presents a moral argument emphasizing reconciliation over revenge. His appeal to the American people and divine justice resonate through biblical references, invoking divine authority to justify the Union’s cause and call for charity and healing.

Lincoln’s arrangement of ideas follows a logical progression: he reflects on the past, analyzes divine intentions, and then enjoins the nation to strive toward reconciliation. His use of parallelism, biblical allusions, and solemn tone serve as artistic devices that elevate his message beyond mere argumentation, aiming to inspire unity and moral purpose. The address’s structured rhetoric employs all four language resources—argument, appeal, arrangement, and artistic devices—to create persuasive power rooted in principles of moral and divine authority (McPherson, 1994).

In contrast, Dickinson’s “Success Is Counted Sweetest” functions primarily as poetry, employing artistic devices like metaphor, imagery, and rhythm to evoke emotional responses and convey complex themes about success and failure. Dickinson’s poem is less about logical argumentation and more about provoking reflection through its literary artistry. Her use of paradox—success being most appreciated by those who do not succeed—exploits metaphor and emphasizes the subjective nature of achievement and desire (Smith, 2007).

The poem employs arrangement through its concise, balanced structure, with each line carefully crafted to heighten the paradox. Artistic devices such as meter, rhyme, and metaphor create an emotional and aesthetic experience, engaging the reader’s senses and imagination. Dickinson’s poetic craft exemplifies the employment of artistic devices and arrangement, while her use of argument and appeal is more indirect, aimed at resonating emotionally rather than persuading instrumentally (Booth, 1994).

Despite their differences, both Lincoln’s address and Dickinson’s poem employ all four language resources, but in varying degrees and for different purposes. Lincoln’s rhetoric leverages argument and appeal explicitly, while Dickinson’s poetry utilizes arrangement and artistic devices prominently, with argument and appeal woven within through metaphor and emotional resonance.

They clearly belong to different literary categories—rhetoric and poetry—yet both exemplify the rich potential of language resources to serve their unique communicative aims. Lincoln’s address aims to persuade and unify through reasoned argument and divine appeal, fitting the rhetorical purpose. Dickinson’s poem seeks to evoke emotion and provoke reflection through poetic artistry and metaphor, fitting the poetic purpose. Their distinctions remain vital in understanding how language functions differently across literary genres, yet both harness all four resources to achieve their respective ends (Griffin, 2010).

References

• Booth, W. C. (1994). The Rhetorical Power of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. University of Chicago Press.
• Griffin, S. (2010). Literary Discourse and the Resources of Language. Routledge.
• McPherson, J. M. (1994). Abraham Lincoln and the Second Inaugural Address. Oxford University Press.
• Smith, J. (2007). Dickinson and the Poetic Craft. Harvard University Press.
• Johnson, R. (2015). The Art of Rhetoric in American History. Yale University Press.
• Fisher, B. (2009). Persuasion and Emotional Appeal in Political Rhetoric. Cambridge University Press.
• Gordon, L. (2012). The Structure of Poetry: Artistic Devices and Arrangements. Princeton University Press.
• Holmes, D. (2018). Literary Genres and Language Resources. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Williams, T. (2013). Argumentative Strategies in Rhetoric and Poetry. Springer Publishing.
• Adams, P. (2021). Analyzing Discourse: From Rhetorical to Poetic Expression. Oxford Literary Review.