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Lincoln at Gettysburg

November 10, 2023

Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America was written by Garry Wills, who was an adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University at the time that his book was published. The book, which became a best-seller during the 1990s,[1] argued that Lincoln's 272-word address, which was delivered during the dedication of the new national cemetery at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863, was so powerful that it reshaped the United States by altering Americans' view of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America
Cover of Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America; featured is Abraham Lincoln
AuthorGarry Wills
CountryUnited States
SubjectAbraham Lincoln
Gettysburg Address
GenreNon-fiction
Published1992 Simon & Schuster

Released by Simon & Schuster in 1992, Wills' book won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction[2][3] and the 1992 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism.[4]

Background edit

Wills' book used U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's notably short speech at Gettysburg as the basis for his examination of Lincoln's overall style of rhetoric while also making the case that Lincoln's address at Gettysburg had not been a hastily conceived speech "written on the back of an envelope" as has often been presented in historical accounts of the speech's writing, but that it was painstakingly crafted over a period of weeks.[5][6][7]

Wills compared Lincoln's speech to one delivered on the same day by Edward Everett,[8] focusing on the influences of the Greek revival in the United States and 19th century transcendentalist thought. Wills also argued that Lincoln's speech drew on his interpretation of the U.S. Constitution,[9] adding that Lincoln considered the Declaration of Independence the first founding document, and looked to its emphasis on equality (changing Locke's phrase "Life, Liberty, and Property" to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness") in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.[10] According to Wills:[11]

"Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg worked several revolutions, beginning with one in literary style. Everett’s talk was given at the last point in history when such a performance could be appreciated without reservation....

The spare quality of Lincoln’s prose did not come naturally but was worked at. Lincoln not only read aloud, to think his way into sounds, but also wrote as a way of ordering his thought.... He loved the study of grammar, which some think the most arid of subjects. Some claimed to remember his gift for spelling, a view that our manuscripts disprove. Spelling as he had to learn it (separate from etymology) is more arbitrary than logical. It was the logical side of language—the principles of order as these reflect patterns of thought or the external world—that appealed to him.

He was also ... laboriously precise in his choice of words. He would have agreed with Mark Twain that the difference between the right word and the nearly right one is that between lightning and a lightning bug. He said, debating Douglas, that his foe confused a similarity of words with a similarity of things—as one might equate a horse chestnut with a chestnut horse....

The unwillingness to waste words shows up in the address’s telegraphic quality—the omission of coupling words, a technique rhetoricians call asyndeton. Triple phrases sound as to a drumbeat, with no 'and' or but' to slow their insistency....

The language itself is made strenuous, its musculature easily traced, so that even the grammar becomes a form of rhetoric. By repeating the antecedent as often as possible, instead of referring to it indirectly by pronouns like 'it' and 'they,' or by backward referential words like 'former' and 'latter,' Lincoln interlocks his sentences, making of them a constantly self-referential system. This linking up by explicit repetition amounts to a kind of hook-and-eye method for joining the parts of his address. The rhetorical devices are almost invisible, since they use no figurative language."

References edit

  1. ^ Swanson, Stevenson. "NU's scholar of diversity wins prize for Lincoln book." Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune, April 14, 1993, p. 7 (subscription required).
  2. ^ "Pulitzer Prize Winners: General Non-Fiction" (web). pulitzer.org. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
  3. ^ "'Truman,' 'Good Scent from Strange Mountain,' 'Millenium Approaches' win." Orlando, Florida: The Orlando Sentinel, April 14, 1993, p. 51 (subscription required).
  4. ^ . 1992 Awards. The National Book Critics Circle. Archived from the original (web) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
  5. ^ Mitgang, Herbert. "Books of the Times; Of the Gettysburg Address and a Second Revolution." New York, New York: The New York Times, July 1, 1992 (subscription required).
  6. ^ Mackie, Sam A. "Words of peace in the midst of war." Orlando, Florida: The Orlando Sentinel, August 2, 1992, p. 110 (subscription required).
  7. ^ Taylor, Holly. "Debunking the myths of Gettysburg." Austin, Texas: Austin American-Statesman, August 9, 1992, p. 58 (subscription required).
  8. ^ Royster, Charles. "The speech that changed America." Boston, Massachusetts: The Boston Globe, June 14, 1992, p. 255 (subscription required).
  9. ^ Mackie, "Words of peace in the midst of war," The Orlando Sentinel, August 2 1992.
  10. ^ Mitchell, Pama. "Scholar eyes Lincoln's reshaping of nation." Atlanta, Georgia: The Atlanta Constitution, July 19, 1992, p. 145 (subscription required).
  11. ^ Wills, Garry. "The Words That Remade America: The significance of the Gettysburg Address." Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic, February 2012.

External links edit

  • *Garry Wills (official publisher page), Simon & Schuster, New York, New York, retrieved online December 12, 2022.
  • "Gettysburg Address". C-SPAN. 12 December 1994. Retrieved 3 May 2015. Mr. Wills, author of Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America, talked about the Gettysburg address, which President Lincoln delivered on November 19, 1863... ...The Library of Congress displayed one of its two original manuscripts for the first time in 23 years. Only five versions are known to exist.
  • Lincoln at Gettysburg by Edward Vebell
  • Lincoln at Gettysburg at Open Library  

November 10, 2023
lincoln, gettysburg, words, that, remade, america, written, garry, wills, adjunct, professor, history, northwestern, university, time, that, book, published, book, which, became, best, seller, during, 1990s, argued, that, lincoln, word, address, which, deliver. Lincoln at Gettysburg The Words That Remade America was written by Garry Wills who was an adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University at the time that his book was published The book which became a best seller during the 1990s 1 argued that Lincoln s 272 word address which was delivered during the dedication of the new national cemetery at Gettysburg on November 19 1863 was so powerful that it reshaped the United States by altering Americans view of both the Declaration of Independence and the U S Constitution Lincoln at Gettysburg The Words That Remade AmericaCover of Lincoln at Gettysburg The Words That Remade America featured is Abraham LincolnAuthorGarry WillsCountryUnited StatesSubjectAbraham LincolnGettysburg AddressGenreNon fictionPublished1992 Simon amp SchusterReleased by Simon amp Schuster in 1992 Wills book won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for General Non Fiction 2 3 and the 1992 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism 4 Background editWills book used U S President Abraham Lincoln s notably short speech at Gettysburg as the basis for his examination of Lincoln s overall style of rhetoric while also making the case that Lincoln s address at Gettysburg had not been a hastily conceived speech written on the back of an envelope as has often been presented in historical accounts of the speech s writing but that it was painstakingly crafted over a period of weeks 5 6 7 Wills compared Lincoln s speech to one delivered on the same day by Edward Everett 8 focusing on the influences of the Greek revival in the United States and 19th century transcendentalist thought Wills also argued that Lincoln s speech drew on his interpretation of the U S Constitution 9 adding that Lincoln considered the Declaration of Independence the first founding document and looked to its emphasis on equality changing Locke s phrase Life Liberty and Property to Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation 10 According to Wills 11 Lincoln s speech at Gettysburg worked several revolutions beginning with one in literary style Everett s talk was given at the last point in history when such a performance could be appreciated without reservation The spare quality of Lincoln s prose did not come naturally but was worked at Lincoln not only read aloud to think his way into sounds but also wrote as a way of ordering his thought He loved the study of grammar which some think the most arid of subjects Some claimed to remember his gift for spelling a view that our manuscripts disprove Spelling as he had to learn it separate from etymology is more arbitrary than logical It was the logical side of language the principles of order as these reflect patterns of thought or the external world that appealed to him He was also laboriously precise in his choice of words He would have agreed with Mark Twain that the difference between the right word and the nearly right one is that between lightning and a lightning bug He said debating Douglas that his foe confused a similarity of words with a similarity of things as one might equate a horse chestnut with a chestnut horse The unwillingness to waste words shows up in the address s telegraphic quality the omission of coupling words a technique rhetoricians call asyndeton Triple phrases sound as to a drumbeat with no and or but to slow their insistency The language itself is made strenuous its musculature easily traced so that even the grammar becomes a form of rhetoric By repeating the antecedent as often as possible instead of referring to it indirectly by pronouns like it and they or by backward referential words like former and latter Lincoln interlocks his sentences making of them a constantly self referential system This linking up by explicit repetition amounts to a kind of hook and eye method for joining the parts of his address The rhetorical devices are almost invisible since they use no figurative language References edit Swanson Stevenson NU s scholar of diversity wins prize for Lincoln book Chicago Illinois Chicago Tribune April 14 1993 p 7 subscription required Pulitzer Prize Winners General Non Fiction web pulitzer org Retrieved 2008 03 10 Truman Good Scent from Strange Mountain Millenium Approaches win Orlando Florida The Orlando Sentinel April 14 1993 p 51 subscription required All Past National Book Critics Circle Award Winners and Finalists 1992 Awards The National Book Critics Circle Archived from the original web on 2007 09 27 Retrieved 2008 03 10 Mitgang Herbert Books of the Times Of the Gettysburg Address and a Second Revolution New York New York The New York Times July 1 1992 subscription required Mackie Sam A Words of peace in the midst of war Orlando Florida The Orlando Sentinel August 2 1992 p 110 subscription required Taylor Holly Debunking the myths of Gettysburg Austin Texas Austin American Statesman August 9 1992 p 58 subscription required Royster Charles The speech that changed America Boston Massachusetts The Boston Globe June 14 1992 p 255 subscription required Mackie Words of peace in the midst of war The Orlando Sentinel August 2 1992 Mitchell Pama Scholar eyes Lincoln s reshaping of nation Atlanta Georgia The Atlanta Constitution July 19 1992 p 145 subscription required Wills Garry The Words That Remade America The significance of the Gettysburg Address Washington D C The Atlantic February 2012 External links edit Garry Wills official publisher page Simon amp Schuster New York New York retrieved online December 12 2022 Gettysburg Address C SPAN 12 December 1994 Retrieved 3 May 2015 Mr Wills author of Lincoln at Gettysburg The Words that Remade America talked about the Gettysburg address which President Lincoln delivered on November 19 1863 The Library of Congress displayed one of its two original manuscripts for the first time in 23 years Only five versions are known to exist Lincoln at Gettysburg by Edward Vebell Lincoln at Gettysburg at Open Library nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lincoln at Gettysburg amp oldid 1184278981, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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