The Gettysburg Address: Perspectives on Lincoln's Greatest Speech - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0190227451 ISBN 13: 9780190227456

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2015

Synopsis

It is the most famous speech Lincoln ever gave, and one of the most important orations in the history of the nation. Delivered on November 19, 1863, among the freshly dug graves of the Union dead, the Gettysburg Address defined the central meaning of the Civil War and gave cause for the nation's incredible suffering. The poetic language and moral sentiment inspired listeners at the time, and have continued to resonate powerfully with groups and individuals up to the present day. What gives this speech its enduring significance?

This collection of essays, from some of the best-known scholars in the field, answers that question. Placing the Address in complete historical and cultural context and approaching it from a number of fresh perspectives, the volume first identifies how Lincoln was influenced by great thinkers on his own path toward literary and oratory genius. Among others, Nicholas P. Cole draws parallels between the Address and classical texts of Antiquity, and Craig L. Symonds explores Daniel Webster's influence. The second half of the collection then examines the many ways in which the Gettysburg Address has been interpreted, perceived, and utilized in the past 150 years. Since 1863, African Americans, immigrants, women, gay rights activists, and international figures have invoked the speech's language and righteous sentiments on their respective paths toward freedom and equality. Essays include Louis P. Masur on the role the Address played in eventual emancipation; Jean H. Baker on the speech's importance to the women's rights movement; and Don H. Doyle on the Address's international legacy.

Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg in a defining moment for America, but as the essays in this collection attest, his message is universal and timeless. This work brings together the foremost experts in the field to illuminate the many ways in which that message continues to endure.

About this title

From the Back Cover

"No famous speech is shorter than Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and none has been analyzed at greater length.  Can anything important be said about the speech that has not already been said?  The essays in this volume demonstrate that the answer is yes.  They offer fresh and stimulating insights on the origins, meaning, impact, and continuing relevance of the Address."     ---James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom

About the Author

Sean Conant is an American filmmaker and the writer, director, and producer of the documentary film The Gettysburg Address. He lives on the New Hampshire seacoast.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0190227451
• ISBN 13: 9780190227456
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 368
• Editor: Conant Sean