Lincoln Memorial Research Paper

In the early morning, over a decade ago, my mother took me to the Lincoln Memorial for the first time to watch the sunrise. I remember sitting on the monument’s white, glimmering steps next to her and quietly staring out at the sunlit reflecting pool. At that moment, everything felt possible. Ultimately, I have chosen to discuss the Lincoln Memorial throughout the contents of this paper because while it carries sentimental value, it is also a cultural landmark of the United States, honoring one of its most prominent presidents and bearing the national identity we associate with him. It memorializes the ideals of equality and it is through this that the memorial defines a sort of unwavering hope in visitors. With one example of this being the …show more content…
national identity, while remaining a place that draws the hope and determination of the individuals who visit it. The Lincoln Memorial was constructed in Washington, D.C. between 1914 and 1922. It was designed by American architect Henry Bacon and sculptor Daniel Chester French. Decades after his assassination, the Lincoln Memorial was built with the sole intent of memorializing the former 16th president’s life, particularly in regards to his leadership in winning the Civil War. The memorial building is made of varying stone types including granite, limestone, and marble slabs from various states. It immediately creates an idea of unity, with states that were once divided under Lincoln’s leadership coming together again to physically rebuild something new and beautiful. The Lincoln Memorial sits on the west end of the National Mall, facing the Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol. The sheer scale of the memorial is immense and its elevation above the ground only amplifies this, forcing you to look up as you walk up the stairs to it (Fig. 2). The adage of the …show more content…
(Fig. 6, Fig. 1 - Fig. 1. 7) They convey similar ideas of the importance of unity, equality, and freedom by depicting a shining angel releasing slaves from shackles, while the other shows the same angel joining the hands of two people. This juxtaposition between almost desperate determination to enact change and also hope for a better future is seen in the sculpture of Lincoln himself as well. At the center and heart of the memorial, is an immense 19 foot sculpture of Abraham Lincoln. Basking in the glow of light, he sits with a stoic, calm expression, becoming the image of a leader. His arms drape over the massive throne-like chair he is seated in. Despite the larger than life-size scale, he is portrayed with a stunning amount of realism. The fabric of his tailored suit flow as if they are made of real linens and not carved from solid marble. He looks startlingly and unabashedly human with the set of his jaw and shoulders to his tense left fist. This clenched fist further conveys a sort of determination in his figure; whereas his right hand, which is lightly and relaxedly draped over the edge of his chair’s arm, bears a sense of knowing

Show More