The Works of Honest Abe

Abe Lincoln, the man with a plan for the nation, wrote several of the highest regarded speeches in American history and we was known as a charismatic man who could sway almost any crowd with his aura of command. His two speeches, "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865" and "The Gettysburg Address"were realistic pieces that inspired an entire nation during it's darkest hour and touched on numerous subjects, including liberty, justice, human equality, religion, and hope.

As Werlock writes, Realism is described as "the attempt to depict life as it actually exists, not as the author wants it to be in the present or the future, or imagines it was in the past." The depiction of a realist writer shows the world as it is and how it will be. Depending on the author their writings can be idealistic and hopeful, or depressing and bleak. The author's outlook has major say in the mood of the writing. Lincoln was an idealist and was very hopeful for the future of the United States. His speeches were thus very optimistic and hopeful with the future of the nation. The speeches were written in times of little hope for the Union as an entity because of the bitter battle of Gettysburg and the escape of Robert Lee for the "Gettysburg Address", while with the "Second Inaugural Address" things were looking grim due to the extensive nature of the war, and the nearly inexhaustible supply of morale the southerners had.

Written in 1863, "The Gettysburg Address" was a hopeful glimmer in the bleak outlook of the war. Lincoln used his masterful charisma to deliver was is arguably the most important speech in US history. "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced (Lincoln)." This example shows the honor Lincoln holds for the dead, and how abominable war is, due to it's destructive and morbid nature. With both speeches Lincoln uses no figurative language delivering the facts plain and simple and telling the people to honor their dead and hold on to their hope.

In his "Second Inaugural Address" Lincoln wrote, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." He wrote of the indomitable will of the people united in cause against this common foe, their brothers, fathers, lovers, and friends. These speeches kept a positive outlook on a bleak and hopeless world and inspired an entire nation. With these common themes and the inspiration message of each they are categorized as realistic writings.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 12, 2011).

Lincoln, Abraham. "Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugural Address. U.S. Inaugural Addresses. 1989."Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. .

Lincoln, Abraham. "The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln." NetINS Showcase. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. .