Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Pulpit Rhetoric of Freedom: An Exegesis of His Discourse Mechanism

Abstract

The world mostly remembers that Martin Luther King, Jr., was the leader who made a speech known as “I Have a Dream”. He indeed addressed tens of thousands of people on August 28, 1963, to tell them about his dream. However, before that historical date, King had been resourceful in many ways. Besides, five years after that unforgettable date, he would keep showing his ability to produce prolific and enriching works until he passed away in 1968. From his pulpit, surrounded by microphones and cameras, or sitting at his desk, King demonstrated his talent of mastering the word. With turns of phrases, instructive and well-documented contents, as well as quotations, King’s oral and written productions are seductive thanks to their constructiveness. This paper investigates the discourse mechanism that made King a great international public speaker. Through an analysis of the matter and manner of King’s rhetoric, this paper will reveal the secret that is intricately woven into the erudition fabric that enabled King to make good use of eloquence, articulateness, knowledge and charisma. This paper will probe King’s great oratory skills by the agency of Roman orator Marcus Fabius Quintilian’s five oratory devices that are famous among public speakers.