ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

In commemorative speeches1 the orator is rarely at work upon a utilitarian enterprise. Here the orator is neither the practicing lawyer, the practicing politician or statesman, nor the professional engineer, teacher, or preacher. It is in commemorative oratory that the orator comes closest to the poet and the dramatist. The commemorative orator is the spokesman of the occasion. He is expected to express not so much his own thoughts, as to give voice to the thoughts of the audience, to say what they would say had they his opportunity and his talent. Here the speaker must voice the feelings of those to whom the occasion belongs. He is under something of the same sort of artistic obligation as that which rests on the writer of the memorial ode, the sculptor of the memorial statue, the painter of the memorial picture, or the composer of the memorial music. To catch the spirit of the hour, to voice the feelings of the listeners, to make the audience feel that their best thoughts and sentiments have been beautifully and effectively expressed, is the purpose of the commemorative

orator.

1 See J. M. O'Neill's Models of Speech Composition, and Modern Short Speeches.

Commemorative speeches may, of course, be delivered on a wide variety of occasions. They may be delivered in court rooms, as they often are, in ceremonies held in memory of distinguished jurists; but they are not forensic orations. They may be given in legislative assemblies, as they often are, at memorial meetings of Congress, for instance; but they are not legislative addresses. They may be given before great popular audiences, at meetings open to the public; but they are not campaign speeches. Any attempt of the commemorative orator to serve personal, or factional ends in a commemorative oration, is as much a violation of the proprieties as would be the working of a commercial advertisement into a memorial ode or statue or painting.

I. EULOGIES

The eulogy, or speech of personal tribute, is perhaps the best known type of commemorative speech. It is essentially, today, a speech in praise of one who has passed away. Sometimes eulogies are delivered on living people, but not often. In ancient times eulogies were delivered on cities as well as on men. But it is substantially accurate to say that a eulogy is a speech in praise of a man who is no longer living.

Eulogies are sometimes classed as formal or informal, and the amount of formality is usually dependent upon the type of the occasion and the length of time at the disposal of the speaker. Formal eulogies have more elaborate organization than informal, brief speeches of personal tribute.

The principal classifications of eulogies are the chronological and topical.

A. The Chronological Eulogy. - As the name suggests, this eulogy gives the story of the subject's life in chronological order. It is sometimes referred to as a biographical eulogy. It is a type that should usually be avoided. Audiences are commonly familiar with the story of the life of the person in memory of whom they are gathered together. A chronological eulogy, therefore, is likely to be merely a recital of facts which

are already perfectly familiar to the audience. There is also a danger that a chronological eulogy will be too impersonal, that it will not have enough of the individuality, personality, and point of view of the speaker in it. There is great danger that it will sound like an article from an encyclopedia of biography. When a eulogy is to be delivered on a person whose life history is not known to the audience, a chronological eulogy may well be undertaken. If so, however, great care should be exercised to make it an interesting, personal narrative and not a bare, dry, cold, impersonal setting forth of the facts of a man's life. Interpretation, illustration, and exposition of the meanings of the various incidents in his life should be dwelt upon rather than the bare facts.

B. The Topical Eulogy. The second type of eulogy is the topical. In this, the speaker does not simply follow the chronological story of his hero, but takes, rather, certain aspects of his hero's life and dwells upon them, giving their significance, extracting lessons from them, and making deep impressions upon his audience in regard to them. In the topical eulogy the orator selects a list of topics and then arranges them in whatever order seems best for the particular audience to which the speech is to be given. And so, instead of discussing the Boyhood, College Days, Professional Career, Political Life, and Old Age of his subject, he has some such list of main divisions as this: Political Life, Literary Work, As a lover of the Out-doors, As an Educator, As a Neighbor. On such an outline it is very much easier for a speaker to make a fresh, interesting, personal interpretation of the subject, than it is if he is following a chronological plan. In brief, informal, personal tributes, the topical plan, of course, should always be followed, even if only one topic is touched upon. In these speeches the speaker should be very careful to strike the right note to fit the audience and the occasion, and above all to fit the time limit which is probably a very short one. In every way he should do just what the occasion calls for and should not attempt to make a great oration.

II. NOMINATING SPEECHES

Nominating speeches, particularly those in the great national conventions in this country, are much closer in spirit, purpose, and form to eulogies than to deliberative speeches. In fact, they are sometimes classed simply as eulogies, and the difference between them and other formal eulogies is that their subjects are still alive. Nominating speeches are not usually great eulogies. In fact, they are not usually great speeches of any sort, and the reason is probably because the situation is such that the speech is not actually what it pretends to be. The nominating speech in a political convention pretends to be a deliberative speech, but it is not one. No one really expects the delegates to be influenced by nominating speeches, for the minds of the delegates are pretty well made up. They all know precisely how they are going to vote on the first ballot long before any nominating speech is made. We believe we are correct in saying that there is no case on record in which a nominating speech has had any observable, significant effect, of the sort the speaker was ostensibly trying to achieve, upon the voting of the delegates present. The cases of so-called stampedes in party conventions have never resulted from nominating speeches. The result is that the nominating speech at the present time is usually rather an empty form. Such speeches are just a part of the ceremony, and they are usually a pointless and useless part. Under the circumstances it is hardly surprising that there are in party conventions very few good nominating speeches. Before any speech can be good, it has to be good for some particular purpose; and since nominating speeches have no particular purpose, good nominating speeches are hard to find. When in any situation a nominating speech really performs a useful function in furthering the business of a meeting, it is simply a deliberative speech. As such, of course, it has no especial problems or processes that differ from those of other deliberative speeches.

III. INAUGURAL SPEECHES

Inaugural speeches are essentially commemorative. In fact, they might well be classed as simply a special type of dedicatory speeches. The inaugural speech is, in a sense, the dedication of the new administration. It is an appropriate occasion for a statement of great principles and high purposes. The inaugural speech is not usually a campaign speech, nor a legislative speech. It aims to suit the occasion, to say the appropriate word, to strike the right key-note, to arouse enthusiasm for the tasks that are ahead, to allay suspicion, to disarm opposition. Inaugural speeches may be delivered, of course, at the inauguration of any type of official. Probably the most prominent inaugural speeches are those delivered by the President of the United States upon taking office. Next to those would probably come the inaugural speeches delivered by the presidents of colleges and universities. If a speaker at an inaugural celebration should choose to deliver a real argument in favor of some program or measure, his speech would be a campaign speech, and should be so prepared.

IV. DEDICATION SPEECHES

Dedications are commemorative speeches delivered at dedicatory ceremonies, such as the opening of new buildings, the unveiling of monuments, the laying of corner stones, and similar occasions. These are occasions at which sentiment and emotion are properly in the air. Here, as in the eulogies, the end is usually impressiveness, rather than belief or action. As there are many sorts of dedicatory exercises, so there are many sorts of dedication speeches, ranging from such a long and formal oration as Webster's "First Bunker Hill Oration"2 to such a brief and informal speech as Harrington's "Unveiling of a Memorial."3

2 J. M. O'Neill's Models of Speech Composition, p. 492.
3 J. M. O'Neill's Modern Short Speeches, p. 117.

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »