Braveheart Motivational Speech

One of the greatest examples of a motivational speech can be found in the movie Braveheart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLrrBs8JBQo 

In this speech, William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, uses pathos to motivate the Scottish soldiers to fight against the British. Furthermore, he follows the steps that are shown in Monroe's motivated sequence.

The use of ethos is at the heart of the speech. This is primarily seen through the appeal to nationalism and patriotism to Scotland, in order to gain freedom from the British tyranny. By speaking about honor, family, and the legend of himself, William Wallace, he appeals to all of the soldiers' senses of national pride and honor. He also employs the use of humor, another part of pathos, when he remarks about the legend of himself as a superhuman who "shoots fireballs from his ass". Ethos is at the core of Wallace's motivational speech.

The speech also follows Monroe's motivational sequence. The attention step is completed when he introduces himself as the legendary William Wallace and uses some humor. He then continues to express the need for action when he talks about the tyranny of the English. The satisfaction step is completed when he presents the solution, that all of them should fight, as opposed to running. The visualization step is then completed when he continues to talk about how it will be if they do not fight and die old lives, but then visualizes the glory of fighting and freedom. Finally, the action step is completed when he finally appeals that if they fight, they will never take their freedom. The motivated sequence is clearly used in this speech.

William Wallace's speech in Braveheart is a classic example of a motivational speech. Ethos is at its core when he appeals to nationalism and humor. Furthermore, the entire speech follows Monroe's motivational sequence. It is impossible to doubt that William Wallace was able to successfully motivate the Scottish soldiers to fight.