“‘De’ Nederlander Bestaat Niet”

De Toespraak van Máxima over de Nederlandse Identiteit en Máxima’s Identiteit als Nederlandse

Samenvatting

Identity has been subject to political debate since the beginning of time but is particularly important in the recent polarization of the political sphere. This paper contains a classical rhetorical analysis of a speech delivered by Dutch queen Máxima that reflects on what makes up the Dutch identity, whilst also touching on diversity and immigration. The method followed for the rhetorical analysis is that of rhetoric scholar Braet (2007). From this analysis, it can be concluded that while the speech was ill-received at the time, it was well-constructed for the message it intended to communicate. Specifically, the usage of the rhetorical figures anecdote and antithesis add to this conclusion.