Every character in a story has another character that contrasts with each other. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, two political leaders Brutus and Antony’s characters contrast with one another, for instance, both Antony and Brutus are charismatic and well respected among Rome, but, they also have differences, like Brutus is depicted as honorable, but easily manipulated, while Antony is shown as persuasive. Following the assassinaton of Caesar, Brutus speaks to a crowd of common people and displays his rhetoric and charisma. This is shown when the common people are influenced with his words. He states, "not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than …show more content…
This is expressed when Brutus states, “My heart doth joy that yet all in my life I found no man but he was true to me. I shall have glory by this losing day;” (IV.V.34-36). What Brutus is saying is that every man he has met has been manipulative with him and he has made the mistake of being honest with them. This leads to him being very trusting of everyone because of his honest values. Explaining that Brutus is too honest for his own good which causes him to be manipulated. This leads him to joining the conspirators and his following downfall also turning him into a tragic hero. This helps us understand Brutus’s character, instead of us believing that he joined the conspirators out of pure hatred for Caesar, we can understand that he was manipulated by Cassius into believing in the wrong. While Brutus is seen as honest but easily manipulated, Antony’s character contrasts with Brutus’s because he is persuasive and manipulative while contrasting with Brutus being easily influenced. This is indicated when Antony is giving out his hand shake. He says, "Let each man render me his bloody hand. First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you; Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand... yours, good, Trebonius" (III, i, 185-190). Antony is depicted as manipulating. Highlighting that Antony uses handshakes to manipulate and persuade the conspirators to believe that he has no ill intentions against them and that he sides with them. This leads Brutus to trust him and let him live. This also convinces Brutus to allow him to speak at Caesar's
In Brutus' speech he uses logos to try to reason with the crowd whilst Antony uses pathos to control their emotions. Brutus explains that for the betterment of Rome Caesar had to die or else he would ruin the country and destroy the great empire. He at first has everyone on his side, that is of course until Antony speaks. When Antony speaks he gives examples of how Caesar wasn't going to ruin Rome and in fact how he was the best leader they had ever had. He says that Brutus and Cassius are murderers and that's all they are.
Idealistic Brutus misplaces his trust on his army and the conspirators. Manipulated, Brutus joins into the conspiracy without knowing the hidden intentions. By the time conspirators had brief meeting at Brutus’s house before the plan, Brutus addresses that “they are all welcome” (2.1.97) and shakes hands with the conspirators without any doubt. He misplaces his trust on the conspirators thinking that everyone share same purpose and intention. After the death of Caesar and Antony’s funeral speech, Brutus and Cassius run away from Rome and set up a camp where they can fight against the army of Antony.
This shows that Caesar wasn't ambitious and trustworthy. Antony uses his emotions to also win the people's trust. Antony is talking about the emotional story of how Caesar was murdered. He brings the people to a sad state and the Romans start to respect Antony more. Brutus thought that his reasoning behind the assassination of Caesar would be enough to persuade that the killing of Caesar was the right thing to do.
The Manipulation of Rome “O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts”(Shakespeare.III.ii.103). In Julius Caesar, the key protagonists, Brutus and Antony, witness the death of Caesar, Rome's powerful leader. Brutus believes that the death of Caesar benefits Rome, but Antony on the other hand, believes that Caesar was wronged and wants to avenge his dear friend. Both characters push their beliefs onto Rome through their speaking styles and personalities.
Ostensibly, Shakespeare reveals traits of a foil character, Antony through his speech. While discussing Caesar’s will with his triumvirate, Antony adumbrated decreasing the amount of money that will be given to his people: “Bring his will here, and we’ll figure out a way to reduce his bequests to the people”(Shakespeare,155). Fueled by a rapidly increasing cupidity for power, Antony implies lessening the number of funds Romans receive from Caesar’s fortune to keep it for themselves. This suggests that Antony has become progressively greedy and selfish. These traits reflect Brutus’s charity and magnanimous nature.
In view of, Caesar becoming to ambitious, Brutus kills him. As Brutus begins to speak out at the funeral he asks,“Had you rather Caesar living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead to all free men?”(Shakespeare 42). With this
Brutus and Antony use persuasion throughout the play to explain further on why Brutus helps kill Caesar and how Antony gets the people of Rome to turn against Brutus. First, Brutus tells the people of Rome that he had only killed Caesar so they could finally all be free from his power. For example, when Brutus says,”not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved/ Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and/ die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all/ freemen?”(3.2.23-26). Brutus says this shows the
Brutus lacked the use of pathos when he spoke to the people of Rome. A good example of this is when Brutus spoke at Caesars funeral. He lacked the emotion to get them to connect with him, while Antony on the other hand was very good at using emotion. Brutus spoke to the people as if he was above them instead of talking to them as if he was one of them. This ended up becoming a major flaw that affected him all the way to his death.
Brutus blindly believes Antony’s loyalty towards Rome and the conspirators, which gives Antony the chance to foil their plans. After Caesar’s death, Antony immediately sends his servant to deliver a message to Brutus saying, “If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony / May safely come to him” and give the reason why “Caesar hath deserved to lie in death” (Shakespeare III.i.145-147), then Antony “will follow / the fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus” (III.i.149-150). Knowing that Brutus is the least likely person to kill him out of the conspirators, as he is an honorable person, Antony takes advantage of Brutus’ overly trusting nature. In his message to Brutus, Antony acts sincere by pledging his loyalty to him in order to save himself and to be in an advantaged
Antony understands that to be able to get the people of Rome on his side he needs to make them realize that Caesar was good to them and genuinely did care about them. Antony was smart in his usage of rhetorical appeals by at first using evidence to show that Caesar was a good leader by letting them logically understand that aspect of the argument and then later when he got them on his side he started to appeal to their emotions. Brutus, although attempting to get the people of Rome on his side, his purpose was not as pure as Antony's. Some people may think that Brutus was more ethical in his persuasion because he wanted what was best for Rome, but as Antony says "For Brutus as you know, was Caesar's angel... Caesar saw him stab, ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms...
14-15). He is gaining the trust of the people by making himself look credible even if he really isn’t. Brutus achieves this by saying how much honor he has and an honorable man should be respected for that. Antony,
Brutus tries to impress the crowd by saying that Caesar was going to become a dictator. “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” (ii. III.L 22-24). Brutus gives this reason to make the people think this murderous act was honorable.
In William Shakespeare’s play “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, Shakespeare creates a calculating, smart, and loyal leader in Antony through ways of honesty and his greedy ways towards Caesar. Antony is a passionate and honorable man who is “but a limb of Caesar”. Antony’s character is developed when he tries to persuade the conspirators to his side. “We shall determine how to cut off some change in legacy”. Antony uses his calculating and smart ways to trick the conspirators into believing he is one of them and on their side.
Ella Lowry Mrs. Counts Honors English II 19 April 2023 A True Leader Should every human be characterized by the way they are perceived? Marcus Junius Brutus, or Brutus for short, has many different character traits and qualities. In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the Roman people have different opinions on Brutus because of his actions and words. Brutus is characterized in many different ways such as honorable, loyal, and patriotic.
Marcus Junius Brutus and Mark Antony both deliver speeches to justify the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE and both use Logos and Ethos to convince the Roman citizens to join their sides. Both sides deliver their speeches with vehemence and start by elucidating why Brutus killed Caesar to begin with, why Antony’s desire for revenge is justified, and what the future of Rome will be because of his death. Antony teases the citizens of Rome with the will of Caesar that he holds in hand and claims it will dishonor Brutus and the other conspirators and is also one of his vital uses of Ethos in his speech. Most of the citizens, if not all of them side with Antony and will most likely help him accede to a great title of power in the future and also betray Brutus because of what Antony has them believe, i.e. an ignoble assassin. Brutus and Antony 's speeches were both compelling, although Antony´s speech was more successful, but it is because he was able to manipulate the people of Rome with