The Dramatistic Pentad will be used for closer analysis. Pathos as well as organization will also be examined.
During a private meet September 29, 1938, Chamberlain and German Führer, Adolf Hitler, swore an oath for peace. On September 30, 1938, as Chamberlain exited his airplane, he waved a piece of paper that symbolized the future “peace” between the nations of England and Germany. Taking his first steps upon the English earth beneath him, he gave a speech that lead the people of England into disillusion, claiming that it was, “the second time…a British Prime minister has returned from Germany bringing peace.”
Though a short speech, “Peace For Our Time” was an effort to bring comfort to the British Isles. Chamberlain brought this comfort by identifying with the audience in employing personal pronouns while maintaining a sophisticate, perhaps rigid persona. His speech is not laced with metaphor, and no visual pictures come to mind as people listen to and read his words, but his role seems to span beyond that as a prime minister into one of a father figure. As the better part of his speech is commanding it is not until he reaches the end that he chooses to use phrases like “my good friends” and “go home and get a nice quiet sleep.” It’s as if those lines are what he wants the listeners to remember, that’s what he wants to stick.
However, it should be noted that the use of the later phrases increased the Pathos in his speech as they connect far better emotionally than his sterile earlier phrases that ring like, “We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted.” In using personal pronouns, Chamberlain also establishes a relation between himself and the people that was necessary during this time of chaos and fear.
The portion of the speech that captured the hearts of the audience was when he pronounced a lasting peace between England and Germany claiming that it is the desire of both himself and Hitler that their countries are, “never to war with each other again.” From this a promise a swell of emotion rose in the hearts of the people watching, breaching their lips with cheers that kept the Prime Minister from speaking for a significant time. This emotional response was a result of Chamberlain’s ability to create common ground amongst the people and himself, to identify with them and allow them to identify with each other. They were united by the hope of peace and freedom for the future, from a common threat, secured in words that were typed across a piece of paper.
What might have also affected the emotional response of the audience, and the pathos of his speech, was in its organization. “Peace For Our Time,” was laid out in a chronological pattern, which according to recent lectures, are psychologically appealing to listeners. Chronologically, the speech is broken into three parts: Past, Present and Future. The first paragraph touches on the past as Chamberlain shares that he met with Hitler the night before. The second paragraph represents the present as he talks about the joint views that he and Hitler share regarding peace. The third paragraph talks about peace in the future and how things will be different.
However, this still leaves one last portion of the speech. The last paragraph of the speech is interesting, as it seems to encapsulate the past, present and future into one line while simultaneously giving a call to action. Past is represented as Chamberlain reflects on the previous Prime Minister that returned to Britain with peace. Present is represented by his belief that, “it is peace for our time.” The future is nodded toward and the people are given a call to action when Chamberlain says, “Go home and get some nice quiet sleep.” In this one sentence, Chamberlain not only says that there will be nothing for the people of England to worry about, that they will be able to sleep in peace, but also tells them not to worry and to also sleep in peace.
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