Braveheart

6 Pages 1431 Words

In the movie “Braveheart” William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, leads a group of Scottish rebels against a dominant English government. Throughout the movie speeches are made by William Wallace before every tough battle they are about to face. The words of Wallace give his men the courage to not turn around and run, but to stay and fight. But not only to receive the challenge and defend themselves, but actually charging first and being the aggressor towards the English. These speeches exemplify the spirit behind Wallace’s motivation to rise up against the army that wants to destroy everything in sight to capture for their ruler. These discourses provide a powerful and realistic problem to the audience. Someone needs to lead these people, the Scottish, so that they don’t live their lives like they were under one man’s palm. Who can make these families believe in themselves? When William Wallace proclaims his speeches before battle he asserts his leadership and assumes the role that the people have been needing. His words and his passion for what he believes in captures his men’s hearts and inspires them to fight with all might.
In his speeches to his men William Wallace emotionally and creatively uses persuasive appeals of ethos, logos, and pathos in order to convince them that this is the only option they have other than dying or living like slaves. He needs to convince his supporters to risk their lives and take up arms and fight for their homeland. “The land in which we have raised our children and grow our food,” says Wallace. The current situation is that the people of Scotland have to pay rent to the King to live on their own land. The King proposes to raise the rent and anyone who does not like that or wishes not to pay will be thrown off their land or killed. This was the last straw for William Wallace. The council members for the Scottish want to meet with the King and talk. William Wallace kno...