Journal #8

Question #1
Two stories I thought were in conversation with one another was Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and William Cullen Bryant's poem "The Death of Lincoln". The thing that really stood out to me was how both made so many references to God, especially Lincoln. Lincoln said: "Yet, if God wills that it continue (reffering to the Civil War), until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash.." Lincoln basically says that God's will ultimately decided when the war will end, even if it means more suffering. Bryant writes "Who, in the fear of God, dids't bear The sword of power, a nation's trust!" Bryant paints Lincoln as a God fearing man, and therefore it can be said that Bryant agreed with Lincoln about God's will. Also the last line of the poem states "Who perished in the cause of Right." Because right is capitalized, it can be interpreted as the Right of God, or perhaps because it was such a big moment in the history of mankind that Bryant felt the need to emphasize this word. Lincoln's to me is more persuasive because it is a presidential speech, and those generally contain a more persuasive, optimistic tone. Geography would obviously play a huge factor in all of this. People in the south disagreed with Lincoln, while those in the north saw him as an inspiration and hero.