From biblical times to modern day political rallies, famous speeches are those that are so powerful that they are able to stand the test of time. They have thus become favorite subjects of speech classes or drama productions. They may be delivered with or without an occasion: in honor of the original speaker, or in a dramatic presentation, or simply just to celebrate how brilliant the actual speech is. These speeches are characterized by being well-written, well-spoken, and often quoted by other people down the years.
The most important thing with performing a famous speech is to internalize and maintain the spirit of the speech. You may need to have your own approach to the words, given how often these speeches have been delivered, but do put your performance second to giving out the message of the speech, as intended by its original speaker.

Religious Figures: Biblical speeches are perhaps the most well-known of all famous speeches. They are truly able to stand the test of time. This is evident in that they are still quite famous today even though these words were spoken centuries and even millennia ago. The reason for this is that most of these famous speeches are incredibly profound, so much so that they dictate the way that many people live their lives. They often involve philosophical or religious notions which were not suggested or even thought of prior to the delivery of these famous speeches, which is the determining factor in making them so powerful.

Martin Luther King: The “I have a Dream” speech must be one of the most famous speeches of our modern age. Words spoken more than forty years ago, even today there are very few people who are not aware of the existence of this speech, even though they may not necessarily know the entire speech. “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Though this is only a single sentence extracted from paragraphs of eloquent words, everyone remembers this great speech which made the whole world listen to what was in their hearts.

Nelson Mandela: “The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us. We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.” The inaugural address of Nelson Mandela marks the end of a nation’s struggle for freedom, and thus it can never be forgotten. While it was only the beginning of a new struggle to rebuild a shattered nation, the speech alludes to the incredible war against unnecessary hatred and discrimination, and how that war had finally been won by justice.

Mother Teresa: “I could not help but examine my conscience before her, and I asked what would I say if I was in her place. And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself, I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something, but she gave me much more - she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face.” This speech in honor of the Nobel Peace Prize is a display of the incredible soul of a passionately religious and loving woman. The reasons for its status among famous speeches is that it was spoken by a woman with an incredible disposition, and beyond this it tells incredibly heart-warming stories which will forever stand the test of time.

All of these speeches have the following in common: they mark a significant period in history, are spoken by a passionate and thoughtful individual, and they are delivered in an eloquent and respectable manner. This is what makes them famous speeches that will not soon be forgotten.


Learn more about Speech & Communication
Watch Speech Videos