When I was young, I was exposed to numerous
speeches which my English Teacher taught us in the class. I could not forget
until now the famous speeches we are going to recite in the class every first
Monday of the month in the school year. I was in my Middle School years then
that I have an encounter with these famous speeches from well-known orators,
speakers and writers that until now, their prominence are not being forgotten.
I had a taste of Shylock’s Justification and
Brutus’ Speech in the Forum by William Shakespeare, The Four Freedoms by
Franklin Roosevelt, The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln, Give Me Liberty,
or Give Me Death by Patrick Henry and Mark Anthony’s Famous Speech –Over the
Body of Julius Caesar.
Shylock’s Justification
by
William Shakespeare
He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a
million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted
my bargains, cooled by friends, heated mine enemies; and what’s the reason? I
am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, sense,
affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons,
subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by
the same summer and winter as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you
wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility?
Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian
example? Why, revenge.
Brutus’
Speech in the Forum
by
William Shakespeare
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my
cause and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honor, and have
respect for mine honor, that you may believe; censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your sense, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this
assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar
was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against
Caesar, this is my answer: no that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather
Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all
freemen? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at
it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There
is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death for
his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for
him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any
speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his
country? If any speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. Then none
have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The
question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated,
wherein he was worthy; nor his offenses enforced, for which suffered death.
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Anthony who,
though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a
place in the commonwealth, as which of you shall not? With this I depart, that,
as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome,
I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my
death.
The
Four Freedoms
by
Franklin Roosevelt
In the future days, which we seek to make secure,
we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression
everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God
in his own way everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want which,
translated into world terms, means economic understanding which will secure to
every nation a healthy peaceful life for its inhabitants everywhere in the
world. The fourth is freedom from fear which, translated into world terms,
means a worldwide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough
fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical
aggression against any neighbor – anywhere in the world.
The
Gettysburg
Address
by
Abraham Lincoln
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. 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. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final
resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
It is together fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger
sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this
ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it
far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long
remember what we say here but it can never forget what they did here. It is for
us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they
who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead
we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain; that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and
that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish
from the earth.
Give
Me Liberty, or
Give Me Death
by
Patrick Henry
They tell us, Sir, that we are weak, unable to cope
with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the
next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when
a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by
irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance
by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the phantom of hope, until our
enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak, if we make a
proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.
Three millions of People, armed in the holy cause
of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible, by
any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, Sir, we shall not fight
our battles alone. There is just God who presides over the destinies of
Nations, and who will raise up friends to
fight our battles for us. The battle, Sir, is not
to the strong alone, it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides,
Sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too
late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat, but in submission and
slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! THE WAR IS
INEVITABLE AND LET IT COME! I REPEAT IT, SIR, LET IT COME!
It is vain, Sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry peace. The
war has actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the North will bring to
our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field!
Why stand we here idle? What is it that Gentlemen wish? What would they have?
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains
and slavery? Forbid it! Almighty God! I know not what course others may take,
but as for me, GIVE ME LIBERTY
OR GIVE ME DEATH!
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