Orations to the Soldiers

Richmond's oration to his soldiers is very different when comparing it to Richard's. Richmond starts off using positive words and treating his soldiers like his friends, not like they are beneath him. He says, "More than I have said, loving countrymen." He talks to his soldiers using nice words so that they can respect him and that he shows his respect and thankfulness for their commitment as well. Richmond then uses the theme of God's ultimate punishment as fuel to feed the soldiers' angry thoughts. "God, and our good cause, fight upon our side." He says god is with them and wants them to win, any soldier would agree that having god and religion for your victory is very important and reassuring. Especially in this community where prayer and sanctuary are so highly regarded and important, God is a very highly regarded figure. He then uses ideas like "for your wives and children" to hit a passionate note that all soldiers can relate with.

Richard, on the other hand, has a speech that is very different. Instead of being friends with his soldiers and treating them nicely, he uses critical and offending names. He says, "Remember whom you are to cope withal, a sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways, a scum of Brentons and base lackey peasants." Calling your soldiers "scum" and "peasants" is not the way to win their respect. He also uses the same idea of talking about wives and daughters, except he uses it in a grotesque and offending way. He says, "lie with our wives, ravish our daughters." He doesn't try to make it passionate like Richmond does by saying "do it for them and for your love for them" he basically says, "do it for them so that they dont sleep around." It is very different and Richmond's way is much better and effective.