Rewrite my essay(rhetorical analysis essay) by using the source given and adress the weaknesses below.
1. Analyze Phillips’ strategic use of contrast and juxtaposition when he addresses the process of gathering the story of Toussaint from the “reluctant testimony of Britons, Frenchmen, Spaniards” as opposed to the adoring narratives of Napoleon and Washington, highlighting the challenge of vindicating a black hero against the backdrop of pervasive prejudice.
2. Examine Phillips’ evocative language in phrases like “forged a thunderbolt” and how this contributes to building a mythic image of Toussaint, reinforcing his argument that Toussaint belongs alongside renowned historical figures.
3. Discuss how Phillips leverages the moral high ground by comparing Toussaint favorably with Washington, who “held slaves,” suggesting that Toussaint’s moral character and achievements not only match but surpass those of established American heroes.
4. Consider the rhetorical effect of Phillips’ prophetic tone in the final lines, particularly the phrase “dipping her pen in the sunlight,” which elevates Toussaint’s narrative to an almost divine level, likely intended to sway even the most resistant members of the audience.
5. Explore Phillips’ use of inclusive language like “our earlier civilization” and the potential impact of claiming Toussaint as part of a shared human legacy on a predominantly white and potentially skeptical audience.
6. Identify the use of applause cues within the speech and discuss how these moments of audience engagement might serve to validate Phillips’ points and create a shared sense of approval within the room.
7. Consider how Phillips frames Toussaint as not only a military leader but a statesman and martyr, a trifold characterization that sets a higher standard for the kind of leaders who deserve honor and remembrance.
8. Look at how Phillips anticipates and preempts the critique of his naysayers by accusing them of reading history through their prejudices, thereby strengthening his argument by aligning it with a more objective, unbiased view of the past.
Source: The selections below are taken from a speech delivered in 1861 by Wendell Phillips, a prominent white American
abolitionist. The speech, written near the beginning of the Civil War, when Northerners were debating whether to
allow African Americans to serve in the military, celebrates the achievements of the Haitian general ToussaintLouverture (c. 1744-1803). Toussaint-Louverture was a former slave who led the struggle to liberate other enslaved
Haitians. At one time, he was the most powerful leader in Haiti, which was threatened alternately by French,
Spanish, and British armies. 
If I stood here tonight to tell the story of Napoleon,
I should take it from the lips of Frenchmen, who find
no language rich enough to paint the great captain of
the nineteenth century. Were I here to tell you the
5 story of Washington, I should take it from your
hearts,—you, who think no marble white enough on
which to carve the name of the Father of his Country.
[Applause.] I am about to tell you the story of a negro
who has left hardly one written line. I am to glean it
10 from the reluctant testimony of Britons, Frenchmen,
Spaniards,—men who despised him as a negro and a
slave, and hated him because he had beaten them in
many a battle. All the materials for his biography are
from the lips of his enemies. . . .
15 [Toussaint] forged a thunderbolt and hurled it at
what? At the proudest blood in Europe, the Spaniard,
and sent him home conquered [cheers]; at the most
warlike blood in Europe, the French, and put them
under his feet; at the pluckiest blood in Europe, the
20 English, and they skulked home to Jamaica.
[Applause.] Now if Cromwell1 was a general, at least
this man was a soldier. I know it was a small territory;
it was not as large as the continent; but it was as large
as that Attica2, which, with Athens for a capital, has
25 filled the earth with its fame for two thousand years.
We measure genius by quality, not by quantity. . . .
I would call him Cromwell, but Cromwell was only
a soldier, and the state he founded went down with
him into his grave. I would call him Washington, but
30 the great Virginian held slaves. This man risked his
empire rather than permit the slave-trade in the
humblest village of his dominions.
You think me a fanatic tonight, for you read
history, not with your eyes, but with your prejudices.
35 But fifty years hence, when Truth gets a hearing, the
Muse of History will put Phocion for the Greek, and
Brutus for the Roman, Hampden for England, Fayette
for France, choose Washington as the bright,
consummate flower of our earlier civilization, and
40 John Brown the ripe fruit of our noonday [thunders of
applause], then, dipping her pen in the sunlight, will
write in the clear blue, above them all, the name of the
soldier, the statesman, the martyr, ToussaintLouverture. [Long-continued applause.]
1 Oliver Cromwell: 1599-1658. Important English political leader known
for military skill
2 Classical Greece
Essay:
In his 1861 speech, Wendell Phillips—a prominent white American abolitionist at the dawn of the Civil War, when Northerners were debating whether to allow African Americans to serve in the military, Phillips praises and celebrates the achievements of the Haitian general Toussaint Louverture. Phillips’s intent is clear: to persuade his audience that a former slave like Louverture, who led the struggle to liberate fellow enslaved Haitians, exemplifies why individuals from African American descent merit the right to serve in the military. His argument hinges on the premise that Louverture’s triumphs rival or exceed those of revered white military leaders like Washington and Napoleon. Employing metaphors and historical parallels to illustrious figures, Phillips underscores Louverture’s comparable stature, arguing for his due recognition. Moreover, Phillips deftly uses visualization to convey the magnitude of his achievements, instilling in his audience a profound appreciation for the general’s legacy. This array of strategies enables Phillips to effectively captivate his listeners and praise his subject General Toussaint Louverture.

In the beginning of the speech, Phillips boldly compares Toussaint to notable historical figures like Napoleon and Washington. He articulates this in his first paragraph, stating, “If I stood here tonight to tell the story of Napoleon, I should take it from the lips of Frenchmen, who find language rich enough to paint the great captain of the nineteenth century. Were I here to tell you the story of Washington, I should take it from your hearts, - you, who think no marble white enough on which to carve the name of the Father of his country. I am about to tell you the story of a negro who has hardly written one line. I am to glean it … from the lips of his enemies ”. These initial comparisons, deftly presented at the beginning of the speech, excites the audience’s enthusiasm, prompting them to recall some of the achievements and details about the historical figures to better grasp Toussaint’s, if not superior, stature. Phillips intensifies this correlation in the third paragraph of his speech which states that “I would call him Cromwell, but Cromwell was only a soldier, and the state he founded went down with him into his grave. I would call him Washington, but the great Virginian held slaves”. In the third paragraph Phillips deepens the comparisons made earlier, harnessing them to argue for Toussaint’s rightful place among these esteemed historical figures-his prowess and achievements rivaling or exceeding their renowned deeds.

Progressing in his speech, Phillips skillfully employs vivid metaphors and visualization to acclaim Toussaint and move his audience in the second paragraph of his speech which beams with a striking description: “[Toussaint] forged a thunderbolt and hurled it at what? At the proudest in Europe, the Spaniard, and sent him home conquered; at the most warlike blood in Europe, the French, and put them under his feet; at the pluckiest blood in Europe, the English, and they skulked home to Jamaica”. The use of visualization magnifies Toussaint’s accomplishments in the minds of the listeners, accomplishing Phillips’s dual objectives of exalting Toussaint’s heroism and captivating his audience with the grandeur of the general’s achievements.