It's All In the Tone

Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat

Winston Churchill

         In his speech, Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat, Winston Churchill employs both a solemn and forceful tone. First and foremost, as Prime Minister of Great Britain at the time, Churchill was at the helm of the British government, second in command after the king. As such, in addressing the House of Commons, he assumes his role as the principal figure in a time of great crisis – World War II. In his speech, Churchill is very straightforward and delineates clearly what the government will have to accomplish in order to enter WWII strategically. “On Friday evening last,” he says, “I received His Majesty’s commission to form a new Administration. It is the evident wish and will of Parliament and the nation that this should be conceived on the broadest possible basis and that it should include all parties.” Churchill begins his speech in a formal matter, using a serious tone in order effective emphasize the importance of successfully implementing such an undertaking. He proceeds to highlight the pressing nature of the task at hand: “The three Fighting Services have been filled. It was necessary that this should be done in one single day, on account of the extreme urgency and rigor of events.” Churchill continues to speak about these technical matters in a very serious tone, highlighting the need for speed and efficiency. He is assertive in proposing this motion and requires that the House approve it as it is in the interest of the British people. In this part of his speech, Churchill employs a serious tone in order to present this complex undertaking to the House and sway them to opt in its favor. He explains the steps of the process that have already been accomplished and speaks of those that are yet to be fulfilled. More importantly, he exudes confidence in this undertaking and makes his proposal to the House in a manner that its members will adopt confidence in it as well.

            In the second part of his speech, Churchill comes off as rather forceful – compelling even. Here he uses loaded words to appeal to emotion and to effectively illustrate the magnitude of Britain’s undertaking. For instance, in defining the state policy, he declares: “It [our policy] is to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime.” In employing words such as “monstrous” and “lamentable,” he creates a bleak image of the horrific nature of Britain’s enemy so as to reinforce the House members’ sense of urgency to respond. He further illustrates the weight of the war to galvanize their sense of action: “To form an Administration of this scale and complexity,” he says, “is a serious undertaking in itself, but it must be remembered that we are in the preliminary stages of one of the greatest battles in history.” Finally, he illustrates the toll the war will take on Great Britain and on humanity as a whole if the heinous tyranny of Germany is not vanquished: “It [our aim] is victory,” says Churchill, “victory at all costs….however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival…for the British Empire…for all that the British Empire has stood for…that mankind will move forward towards its goals.” He asserts the necessity of victory for the sake of both Britain and of mankind, thereby placing more emphasis on the gravity of this time in history. He makes clear that there are only days of struggle and suffering ahead. Yet he asserts that Britain will fight will all its might, will “wage war by sea, land, and air with all the strength that God can give us.” In employing the personal pronouns, “us” and “our,” he demonstrates collective involvement as well as creates a sense of unity in the face of such terror.

The second part of Churchill’s speech is in stark contrast to the first part. Though it is still formal, it is steeped in more applications of rhetoric, particularly ethos and pathos, to strike at his audience’s hearts as opposed to their minds. In illustrating the task at hand solemnly and then forcefully asserting the urgency taking action – Churchill delivers a balanced speech. The first part is the stepping-stone of his speech that logically explains the steps the government will have to go through in order to establish a new administration. The second part buttresses the first part by expressing the weight of the undertaking more forcefully and in a more compelling manner, while building morale. The members of the House most likely walked out of that meeting with not only a clear understanding of what their duty was, but also a clear-cut image of what their aim in completing this duty was. They grasped the enormity of the war – felt it – and understood that it was up to them to play a role in ending the horrific war. They not only knew what they had to do – they were motivated to do it. They walked out knowing their duty, knowing their aim, and knowing their purpose.