Read these excerpts. Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address." 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 this earth. Whitman’s "O Captain! My Captain!". My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I, with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. How does “The Gettysburg Address” and “O Captain! My Captain!” compare in their use of ethos (the use of authority to persuade the audience to act the right way)? Neither the speech or poem rely on the use of ethos. Both the speech and poem are equal when it comes to the use of ethos. The poem relies more on ethos than the speech does. The speech relies more on ethos than the poem does.
