By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015
A declamation piece is an important or famous speech re-given in the present. These can be a political, graduation or commencement speech, a eulogy or a sermon. The speaker re-interprets the original, making it fresh.
Declamation Pieces in the Present Day
The ancient Greeks were the original public speakers, notes the New Republic. Since then their orations have been repeatedly used by more recent speakers to inspire or reassure the masses or to move them to action. Today, declamation pieces are performed by students as well as professionals as a way of practicing public speaking.
In America, the National Catholic Forensic League is responsible for holding national competitions for public speaking. Each student is required to pick a speech of his or her choice that is, at most, 10 minutes long.
Winning the National Catholic Forensic League competition depends on three things. One is the studentдуЅн_М”s ability to recite the speech with the same mastery and power used by the original orator. Second, the student must commit the entire speech to memory and present it in a way that will be memorable to the audience. Third, the student shouldn’t be overly dramatic but subtle. The audience should feel as if the original orator is speaking through the student, not the student himself.
How to Choose a Declamation Piece
People considering giving declamation pieces should choose the ones they understand and can master, according to writeoutloud.com. Another consideration is to use a speech that’s on a topic or theme with which the audience can relate in order to capture the emotion of the piece better.
The best declamation pieces to choose are speeches given by a famous or renowned leader. These could include speeches made by a religious leader, president, trade union leader, activist or any other important historic figure with whom people are familiar. Speakers should be sure the chosen speech has a clear and powerful message for the audience. If finding a suitable historical declamation piece proves difficult, students can search for one that’s been given by a present-day leader.
Inspiration for Declamation Pieces
Throughout history, there have been many witty, informative or inspiring speeches that have stood the test of time, notes The Art of Manliness. One of the most often-used speeches for declamation purposes is the famous “I Have a Dream” speech Dr. Martin Luther King gave on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. There are plenty of online resources available for finding inspiration for declamation pieces. Several websites have a huge selection of speeches from accomplished women in history. There are websites of famous speeches from which a seeker can find declamation pieces by renowned historic figures, both men and women. Other websites feature public speeches first given by the ancient leaders of Greece. There are also websites featuring speeches that were specifically given in North America more recently.
Aside from the Internet, famous speeches have been published in books and journals. School libraries have plenty of resources for students looking for inspiring speeches. There are also biographies of public figures that include some of their best and most historic speeches.
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