best speech writers in history

best speech writers in history

Exploring the Art of Speechwriting: Lessons from the Best in History

1. Introduction to the Importance of Speechwriting

Since time immemorial, the art of speechwriting has been prominent. In India, Chanakya Niti propounds the environment as the sole factor responsible for the generation of ideologies, and similarly for Nazism, it was Hitler’s twisted anti-Semitic ideas that propelled Germans towards perceived material glory. It won’t be much-quarreled opinion that speeches have, can, and will move the needle of human history. Gustave Le Bon’s 1895 publication The Crowd: A study of the Popular Mind and his posthumous reformulation of the treatise in the form of Psychologie des Foules elaborated on the power of suggestion to transform civil people into rapacious demoniac killers on a loose—a force that speeches too, present in another form. Contrary to the opinion of the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, which he forwarded in The Quintessence of Ibsenism (1891), that the prime function of political speeches is to mask the noise, which amplifies the silence where foreign expeditions and expedients multiply thereby contributing to the vitality of states, the silences and the noise run through the warp and the weft of history. Hence speech writing is essentially important.

Speeches serve as the most important means of communication in almost all junctures of world history. From the Gettysburg Address, which proposed the concept of equality alien to the founding documents of the United States, to Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech, which forged the Civil Rights Act finally ending the racial injustice practiced towards African Americans by the white supremacist USA, words have ultimately moved the needle of history. It is speechwriters who are behind these powerful messianic narratives. Dialogue among the author, the readers, and the historical actors are the prime ingredients of speech writing.

2. Key Elements of Memorable Speeches

Effective speeches are a blend of experience and validation, often a claim built over time on sturdy legs of experience. But that alone is not persuasive. Since we know these to be its essential components, how can we emulate the masters, and learn directly from their experiences? By asking a set of very specific questions, we can create a composite analysis of them. Who are the best speechwriters in history, and what can they teach us? To begin to answer this question, I define best by longevity: are we still discussing the speech and its contents long after the speech concludes? Who are the people whispering in the ears of Hakim Bey, of Meryl Streep, of schoolchildren who played the parts of orators at Gettysburg? Keeping these people in mind, I will work to isolate the crucial elements of a successful speech.

At the heart of a truly memorable speech is its substance. Memorable speeches are constructed methodically. They build in both subtlety and volume, keeping their audience on the edge of their seats, assured they know the destination, but unsure about the path. Rhetorical devices only make an appearance when they serve and strengthen the argument, never as a substitute for analysis. Imagery, irony, and statistical analysis will all appear. The most important part of a speech, though – indeed, its essential component – is its claim.

3. Case Studies: Analysis of Speeches by Historical Figures

Examine the modern translation to see what the effect was in the early months of the war. Was it clear from the text that Churchill was effectively telling the French that “You may have just fallen, but I stand.” Using a rich, poetic style that shamed Lord Halifax for his verbosity and strength-less “phrases,” Churchill declared, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” It’s a powerful statement, but he didn’t stop there. He continued to offer promises of what the British Empire would do under fire. If the French were angry about the tone of the message, Churchill closes those doors completely by saying, “What is our aim?…victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be.” This is what the English needed to hear at a time when victory was not assured.

Churchill: Speech to the House of Commons (1940)

Examine the text yourself. Translate it into modern English. In looking at the raw text, you will see what modern audiences can pick up instantly and which areas need to be worked on.

I have analyzed several speeches by famous leaders and orators. These case studies dissect specific speeches by offering historical context, exploring the strategies in the writing of each speech, and discussing the legacy of the address. Examine these examples to see the practice of speechwriting in real but exceptional moments.

4. Techniques and Strategies Used by the Best Speechwriters

The best speechwriters understand the power of language, time, and place. By rhetorical situation, a speech can be created to inform, persuade, advocate, or commemorate. Although each of these situations blends into the next, they present different rhetorical challenges. Good speechwriting “emphasizes the rhetorical forces possible for an issue, and taps into audience exigencies and values.” Storytelling and other strategies—like call-and-response, voice shifting, and chiasmus—are among the hallmarks of strong and persuasive speeches. Aristotle’s artifacts provide a useful heuristic for speechwriters and can be used to generate content. Writing effective speeches also means understanding and adapting to the audience. While an attorney’s closing arguments may be effective on a single populace, a federal election demands attention to all levels of the electorate. For a message to remain powerful, it must flex to include a wide variety of interests, backgrounds, and character.

It was January 1961 and America was facing the dawn of a new future with the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. Adlai E. Stevenson’s speechwriter, Theodore C. Sorensen, was tasked with creating a memorable inaugural speech for his candidate, Stevenson, to deliver before the Kennedys. Sorensen’s work on this speech became legendary. Like many other great speeches in history, the “Kennedyesque” was born. Rhetorical techniques over time become admired for their craft and are often used, without alteration, in the creation of new speeches. While language does go through flux, many timeless elements remain. The rhetorical techniques employed by Sorensen and other notable speechwriters including Charlie Haughey, Ronald Reagan, and Malcolm X, continue to inspire with their clarity, expressiveness, and emotional resonance.

5. The Impact of Speechwriting on History and Society

Famous speeches have achieved worldwide acclaim, sparking calls to societal or political outrage and initiating actions that can shape a country’s policy, changing legislation or leading to a change of policies. Speeches that have achieved worldwide acclaim in recent years include Malala Yousafzai’s address to the United Nations raising awareness of female education, as well as Greta Thunberg’s series of speeches leading to protests in favor of climate change policies. Longer-term and in a historical context, speeches such as Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech in 1963 led to civil rights reforms and was an essential part of the civil rights movement. Given the impact these speeches had on society, they were highly influential in changing the course of human action and history.

The role of speeches in history and society is hard to overemphasize. It is known how much people’s destinies and the general trajectory of civilization largely depend on a short spectacle of words pronounced at the right time and place. Great speeches and orations influenced the fate of peoples, urged them into wars or pacified, accelerated or stopped revolutions, changed entire social systems, influenced the very essence of the law and the canons of morality. In fact, such words settled in the historical chronicle, becoming an integral part of the societal development of civilization. So, it can be said that behind the fate of each successful country, people and individuals, their speechwriters lay their path. Hence, the part of our journey of exploring speechwriting explores these themes, featuring various famous political speeches that have in the short and long term, shaped the way we live our lives and view societal customs.