Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!: What's Up With the Closing Lines?
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!: What's Up With the Closing Lines?
Ugh. We can't even handle ourselves when we hear these closing lines. They're just so good.
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! (73-75)
Do those words give you chills? If not, check your pulse. You might be a sentient robot.
Compared to the opening lines, there's a completely different feel to this final mic drop. Henry has worked himself up into a frenzy—these lines reference the freedom versus slavery motif he's been running through the whole speech, then they reference God (who, remember, is on Henry's side). Finally, they declare death preferable to living under the yoke of tyranny.
All of Henry's major points are summed up in these final lines, and they bring out a huge wellspring of emotion in listeners that are intended to lead them to agree with Henry and vote his way.