A Burkean Analysis: Jane’s Speech on the First Woman Presidency

The world has seen its share of women in power, from rulers and queens to CEO’s of prominent corporations, from military leaders and suffragists to Senators and other political figures. While women in America have conquered most territories, one still has yet to be claimed by a female, the Presidency. The question is not whether we will see a woman President in our time for we have seen the tip of that iceberg and know now that the idea of a female in the White House is no longer imaginary but a great inevitable reality. The question she will need to face is what will it take for her to get there?
Before this question is answered, we need to take a Burkean view of the whole rhetorical act taking place. The Burkean Pentad consists of 5 parts: act, agent, agency, scene, and purpose. The act in this case is a speech addressing women in political power in America in the past and what kind of woman will become the first lady President. The speech may have emotional undertones but for this speech to be effective it would really have to present evidence and logic to make a sound argument.
Jane Elmes-Crahall, a respected professor and rhetorician, served as the best agent for the speech on the future of a woman Presidency. Not only was she fluid in delivery and easy to understand but it was also very important for this speech to be given by a credible woman who is knowledgeable in current events and modern politics. If a man were to try and give this speech, it would most likely not have the same effect and may actually make the speaker come off as sexist and the speech would have carried a whole different meaning.
It is important that Jane critiqued the footsteps on the female path to power and politics because although men and women now more than ever have come to be almost completely equal, women are still not completely there and it is women who must empower other women to keep striving forward. Feminist issues are in the hands of both genders for support and refute but on this issue it is truly the woman who must critique her fellow woman because she understands better than the male, exactly what it’s like to be a female in power. If a man were to tell of how a woman is to reach the high place of Presidency it would almost be as though he is the one who is still in power and leading the way for females.
According to Burke, we attach meaning to symbols. Jane as the agent, served as a greater symbol than just someone who was giving a speech. She served as an empowered woman proving that females have a strong voice through not only her examples in the speech itself but through herself as well.
The next part of the pentad would look at the agency of the rhetorical event. The speech was delivered in a more conversational manner than rigid mainly because the agent did not use any notes. Although there was no script, the agent still managed to have an organized order of thoughts. If the speech were to be given from note cards or a teleprompter or anything else where it was scripted, it may not have held the attention of the audience quite as well.
Furthermore, the visual images help a great deal when keeping an audiences attention. The use of technology intertwined in the rhetorical event helped to present the argument in two different ways to the audience: verbally and visually. In an age where technology is so advanced and used as a key tool for politicians as well as anyone else, the inclusion of Youtube clips in the speech was not only a good idea but probably necessary. It made the speech more exciting and put faces to the names and stories of past women in American politics so that it was easier to relate what was going on then to what was happening now in the speech and in politics.
The scene for the rhetorical event allowed for the use of technology but it shaped the speech in other ways as well. Although there was a podium readily available, the agent did not make use of it. The more comfortable approach of walking around gave the agent range and made the act more interactive. It was less formalized and put the agent on an equal level with her audience. But let us not forget that this is still an important and serious speech to be made. The camera rolling in the back of the room, and the agent having a microphone clipped to her blouse are undertones of that importance.
The broader scene is framed by history. Intelligent, driven, and politically powerful women including Gracie Allen, Victoria Woodhall, Margaret Smith, Shirley Chisholm, Geraldine Ferraro, and Belva Ann Lockwood, and Hilliary Clinton were all cited in the speech as evidence that women have been so close to the Presidency for so long and that it is only a matter of time. These women have exhibited bravery and determination throughout the last century and are great examples of what it will take for the first woman President to get elected. Mrs. President will surely have to use many of these historical figures’ actions as guidelines to help get her there.
The final part to the Pentad is purpose. The purpose of this rhetorical event was to analyze women’s roles in politically powerful positions in the past, present, and future. The speech generated thought and ideas as to what it will take to become the first female President. For example, she must realize that anyone running for President will be stripped of privacy. Their private life becomes the business of the media and the property of the public. She must absolutely be technologically savvy in this day and age and ready to use the internet in her campaign. She must have a good life story that crosses generations that will be unforgettable and so that both young and old voters can identify with her. And she must have a singular message to get across to the American people.
It is very important for Americans to discuss the idea of a female President because it is truly inevitable. We are all affected by politics in our everyday lives whether we realize it or not and still many eyes need to be opened up to see change coming in the status quo of the American Presidency. President Barack Obama’s election into the White House was a racial ground breaking campaign and now that America has seen our first black President, the nation must realize it will soon see its first female.

Whitney Roper
Wilkes University, '11
Communications