Revisiting Some of the Best Speeches Ever!

©2009 Gopinathan Menon

Every good speech must have a beginning, a body and a conclusion! In addition it must
have a message that is repeated. So say the pundits, the experts – even in
Toastmasters. But is it truly so? Some of the best-remembered speeches break all the
rules. Perhaps that’s why they are memorable!
Take for example the shortest speech ever given in public! Perhaps you know of it. It is
only 3 sentences long! For those who have not heard it, let me describe it! It is the
commencement address given to the graduates of a famous military college, by none
other than Sir Winston Churchill.
Churchill (who is in his eighties by then) is called to the podium. He is
attired as always in his suit, top hat and with the ever-present cigar in his
mouth! He shuffles forward with the help of his cane, stands beside the
rostrum, rests his walking stick against it, takes off his top hat and places
it on the rostrum, takes out his cigar and lays it beside the top hat. He
looks around at the audience of young graduates with that familiar bulldog
scowl and says: “Never give up!” His eyes rake the young eager faces
again and repeats: “Never give up!” Once again he glowers at the
audience and says: “Never give up!” Then he puts on his top hat, chomps
on his cigar, takes up his cane and shuffles back to his seat. There is a
moment of silence and then the crowd gives him a standing ovation!
Now let me ask you: Was there a beginning, a body and a conclusion in that speech?
Hey! The whole speech was nine words long! But it was strong on message! In fact
the message, repeated 3 times, was the speech!
Next let’s look at the Gettysburg Address! You know the one starts with “Four score and
seven years ago…” Again that one also breaks some of the rules of good speeches. In
Toastmasters we say `use the simple word’, use short sentences! Abe Lincoln started
off with:
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.
If he were to simplify he should say: ‘87 years ago our forefathers formed a new
nation on this continent based on the idea of freedom and that `all men are created
equal’.
He ends with:
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.
Perhaps he should have said: ‘It is up to us to be even more committed to the cause
for which they gave their lives. We should decide that these people have not died in
vain and ensure that the nation is born again with a new freedom – so that
government of the people, by the people, for the people shall continue to live on’.
Let’s look at another world famous speech that never really took place! Do you know
which one I’m referring to? It starts off “Friends, Romans & Countrymen, lend me your
ears! ….” It only happened in Shakespeare’s mind. I guess the Romans would have
been speaking Latin or Italian! But it is a marvelous speech of persuasion – because it
takes a hostile audience and slowly changes their viewpoint! But as to following the
rules – he does the opposite. We are supposed to state our message clearly in the
beginning, then repeat it in the body and conclude with the same message. But what
does Marc Antony do? He does the opposite. He starts off with:
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him;
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones,
So let it be with Caesar…. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it….
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,
(For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all; all honourable men)
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral….
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man….
So what do these examples prove? Ladies & Gentlemen, for me it means that if you
want to make a good speech, follow the rules but if you want to make a great speech –
break some of the rules!