Speeches : Edward VIII’s Abdication Speech

Question 1

Edward VIII : Abdication speech

Answer 1

• recorded in Windsor Castle, December 11th 1936
• radio broadcast as majority of England and others around the world had radios vs TVs
• left the throne to marry (American divorcée) Wallis Simpson
• he couldn’t marry her as Head of the Church and State because of Church rules
• was only King for 10 months, made ‘Duke of Windsor’ after abdication
• born: 23rd June 1894, died: 28th May 1972
• Edward and Wallis both Nazi sympathisers
• Hitler offered Edward the throne again if he won the war

Question 2

Edward refers to his role as ‘King and Emperor’

Answer 2

• bigs himself up to make it seem like a bigger sacrifice
• India still under British rule, so he addresses all under his power

Question 3

Edward never addresses Wallis by name

Answer 3

• controversy around her and her true intentions
• money, power, status
• an attempt to persuade listeners his reasons for leaving the throne are more honourable and should be respected

Question 4

Edward uses short and simple sentences throughout the speech

Answer 4

• all make references to him and mention how hard the weight of the crown has been and how he is abdicating with thought and love
• focuses again on himself in an attempt to make the public pity him

Question 5

He has no verbal pauses or filler phrases despite his slow tempo

Answer 5

• he is reading a pre-planned and written speech
• not thinking on the spot

Question 6

The final two sentences have a different tone vs the rest of the speech

Answer 6

• rest of the speech is pitiful and doesn’t honour the new kind/ royalty at all
• focuses on Edward
• last two sentences switch to being patriotic and praise the new king (to try and appear respectful)
• “God bless you all! God save the King!”

Question 7

There has been a great deal of media attention on the issue of Wallis before the speech

Answer 7

• Edward addresses it with “You all know the reasons which have impelled me to renounce the throne”
• doesnt directly address the issue. Perhaps an attempt to maintain listeners pity and sympathy in order to leave the throne with a good last impression

Question 8

Edward compares the responsibility and duties as King to a “burden”

Answer 8

• almost all listeners would have been lower working class carrying out manual labour for minimal pay
• they may gave felt unappreciated and angry that someone with immense power and wealth was complaining when they would do anything for just a fraction of it

Question 9

Edward says it was “not … constitutionally possible” for him to speak freely before the speech

Answer 9

• he was Head of the Church and State
• publicly announcing the rumours would have made him more unpopular and it could’ve caused a civil war or protests and riots against the throne
• he would’ve been made to sign an agreement stating he could not openly speak about the issue before an heir was chosen in order not to panic the public

Question 10

“At long last I am able to say a few words of my own. I have never wanted to withhold anything, but until now it has not been conditionally possible for me to speak.”

Answer 10

Mfjf

Question 11

Context, mode, purpose, audience

Answer 11

• spoken (read from script)
• live radio (BBC)
• 1936 abdication crisis
• personal statement/ public discourse

Question 12

Structure

Answer 12

• cyclical (temporal discourse markers: now, at long last, during these days, now)
• cohesion with repetition of ”burden/ new King/ with all my heart/ you/ know/ believe/ decision”

Question 13

Lexis semantics

Answer 13

• prestige - polysyllabic, Latinate
• more simple when describing emotions
• constitution semantics: personal/ emotive language/ duty/ loyalty/ sacrifice

Question 14

Grammar syntax fluency

Answer 14

• fluent - reading script (one repair - ”her” instead of “my”)
• hyper correct grammar
• archaic word order
• rhetorical devices