Though the idea of resisting Great Britain through militant forces was not new, Henry arrived to deliver his speech with serious conviction to form a militia that would approach the threat with a resistant nature. As such, his speech would have to convince a number of individuals that were apprehensive about taking any action against Great Britain that may seem combative.
“Listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts” is an allusion within Patrick Henry’s ‘Speech to Virginia Convention’ (Andrews, 2018). In this line, Henry alludes to Homer’s Odyssey, specifically pertaining to the scene in which Odysseus’ men fall asleep after listening to the song of the siren Cyrce. The siren then transforms all of the men into beasts. The purpose of using this specific event as an allusion is that Henry requires the presence of a well-known work to illustrate the affairs between the colonies and Great Britain at the time. This correlates with his main goal for the speech, which is to convince the colonial leaders that their only real option is to fight against the British forces. He agrees that while being inactive about the conflict may be easier, this decision may lead to adverse long-term results. He does so by comparing Odysseus’ men to his own compatriots and their need to resist turning into beasts. He offers the alternative of taking action and fighting for their freedom to avoid the potential future his allusion constructed. The allusion is effective due to the fact that it is an established and well-read text, with a strong comparison between the events of the story and the current predicament of the colonies.
Reference
Andrews, E. (2018). Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” Speech. History. Web.