Julius Caesar Rhetorical Devices

296 Words2 Pages

In Shakespeare's historical play, Julius Caesar, Antony devised this soliloquy subsequent to Caesar's assassination to divulge the tempestuous emotions he is experiencing to the audience. To express his feelings, Anthony pathologically uses the rhetorical devices of an apostrophe and a synecdoche. Primarily, Antony's usage of an apostrophe unveils his turbulent inclinations as he is alone with Caesar's post-mortal corpse. Anthony utters "O, pardon [him], thou bleeding piece of earth" for being "meek and gentle" to the "butchers" as he grieves over "the ruins of the noblest man" who is now dead (III i, 1-4). Antony's sudden turn from the audience directs their attention to focus on Caesar's death and how Anthony's kindness to the conspirators

Open Document