Xiao Yu
The King’s Speech
Writing 2
Professor Cummings Responsibilities of a king are numerous, but above all, a king is there to protect and speak for the people. Although the power a king has is limited in modern time, the king is still the face of the nation and represent the people. The king must address the nation during important events such as the entering of a war. In “The King’s Speech”, Prince Albert, Duke of York, is faced with speech difficulties that prevent him from making a suitable, public figure. Prince Albert, also known as Bertie, visited many speech therapists but had seen little result in improving his “mechanical difficulties” (King’s Speech). Elizabeth, the supportive wife, played by Helena Bonham Carter, sought out an unorthodox speech therapist, Lionel Logue. Lionel, played by Geoffrey Rush, understood the circumstances with treating royalty, but knew it was necessary to step outside the standard edict in order to help Prince Albert conquer his stammer. The opening scene start with Bertie’s first broadcast at the closing season of the Empire Exhibition. With his severe case of stammer, Albert struggles to make only a few orders during his speech; the scene makes it evident to the audience that the Duke of York was incapable of public speaking, none the less make important announcements. Being the caring, worried wife, Elizabeth seeks the aid of Mr. Lionel Logue. After several sessions, Lionel realized that he must be seen as a friend in the king’s eyes in order for progress to take place. During sessions, the king must see himself as an equal to Lionel; simple tactics such as identifying each other on a personal name basis were used to achieve improvement. Through hard work and a strong friendship, the therapist explored the depth of Albert’s problem and guided the king toward conquering his speech impediment. By the closing scene of the movie, King George VI was ready to define the nation’s stance on Germany and the war. As the scene begins with Bertie and Lionel in the broadcasting room, it seems rather small and calming. After Lionel opens the windows for circulation, the viewers can see that there was a customized podium for Bertie; all décor was to provide the king with comfort. With only twenty seconds until broadcasting, Lionel gives one last breath of confidence to Bertie; “Forget about everything else and just say it to me. Say it to me, as a friend” (King’s Speech). Before Bertie begins his speech, the camera is directed toward the script in his quivering hands. The pages were marked specifically and tactfully to provide Bertie with notes on where to pause and when to emphasize. Slowly the blinking light switches off and Bertie stares nervously into the microphone; his hands are shaking, throat is swelling, and neck is constricting. People internationally were tuned in, listening closely with growing apprehension to the silence. Lionel calmly looks at Bertie and tells him to breath. Using Lionel’s contagious confidence, Bertie exhaled, remembering the techniques he had practiced, and the king was able to begin. King George VI started slowly and with minimal confidence in his voice, grasping the speech in his hands, but soon after addressing his people both domestic and overseas, his performance improved. With simple pauses between every few words, as planned in his notes, not only does the king develop a slow consistent rhythm, but also creates a suspenseful message for the world-wide audience. As the speech progressed, King George VI spoke more confidently and captured the attention of his audience. During this speech, the movie displayed many side scenes of different groups of people attentively listening to the radio, taking in every word. Even though the king started the speech with shaky hands and a rather nervous voice, he finished the speech smoothly and successfully. Bertie steadily gained confidence and stood tall and relatively relaxed. Since the king’s biggest difficulty is enunciating the letter “p”, each time the letter shows up in a word, he uses some techniques he had learned to overcome the challenge. By shifting his weight from his heel to his toes and saying the words in his head, the king was able to deliver an almost flawless speech. And with Bertie’s friend Mr. Logue aiding him through the speech, the king was successful.
Throughout the speech, Albert used “we” to symbolize his connection to his people. As king, his goal was to inform his people and to ask those at home and those across the seas to “stand calm and firm, and united in this time of trial” (King’s Speech). His tone was strong yet sympathetic toward his audience; peaceful negotiations have failed and war is no longer an option. Not only was the tone fitting for the occasion and audience, but also the speech itself was also carefully crafted. It was personalized for King George VI and his audience. The speech was short, “just under nine minutes” (King’s Speech) with few words containing the letter “p”; this organization gave the King an advantage to succeed. There is also a repetition of the word principle. Words such as principle and forced are strong in meaning create a sense of urgency and importance, but also contain a sense of pis aller. The audience understood that the war was upon them, after failed attempts at a peaceful solution with Germany, and trust that the king will be able to lead a victorious war. King George VI, as Head of the Church, ended his speech by adding an ethical tone. “But we can only do the right as we see the right and reverently commit our cause to God” (King’s Speech). The king completed the speech, made dramatic improvements regarding his stammer, and established a call to solidarity. In the eyes of the British people, both home and across seas, and the British allies, King George VI is on the path toward expanding the family legacy.