“Rhetoric, the art of making life less believable.”- Ben Marcus. In Brutus’s speech after Julius Caesar’s assassination, Brutus portrayed Caesar as ‘ambitious’. Brutus attempted to justify his killing of Caesar by stating in a speech to the Romans that he loved Rome more than he loved Caesar. However, Marc Antony spoke to the audience after Brutus stepped away; Antony contradicted what Brutus said, used theatrical actions, and presented Caesar’s will to incite rebellion. Speakers who are disproven by others are less likely to gain support. At Caesars funeral oration, Brutus claimed that Caesar was overly ambitious, which Antony rebutted by saying, “When the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; ambition should be made of sterner stuff.”(3.2.91-92) …show more content…
Antony used various types of theatrics in order to generate emotion in the audience at Caesar’s funeral oration. As the crowd became drawn into Antony’s speech, he says, “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me.”(3.2.106-107) and weeps openly to portray the sadness he feels about Caesar’s passing. When Antony revealed his emotions to the crowd, they began to feel pity for Antony, consequently making his words seem more believable. Antony took advantage of the crowd’s emotions by pulling a scroll from his garment, explaining that it was Caesar’s will: “But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar; I found it in his closet, ‘tis his will.”(3.2.129-130). As a result, the crowd was drawn in, wanting to hear the will immediately, shifting the power into Antony’s hands. Realizing that the audience eagerly wanted to hear Caesar’s will, he teased them and put the will away while saying, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it.”(3.2.140). By putting the will away, the audience was drawn in even more, allowing Antony to manipulate the crowd into doing what he
Antony uses pathos as another way to manipulate the people. “Bear with me, my heart is in the coffin with Ceasar And I must pause until it come back to me.” (Ⅲ.Ⅱ. 33-35). Mark Antony explains how he is “heartbroken” about Ceasar’s death and must wait to continue his speech.
At the same time, Antony uses rhetoric to persuade the Romans. While Antony is questioning the citizens why they do not love Caesar anymore, he uses pathos. He asks, “what cause withholds you then, to mourn
Antony uses rhetorical appeals and techniques in his speech to turn the people of Rome against those conspiring against Caesar. As a result, the people see Antony as a persuasive and strong leader of Rome. Antony opens his speech at Caesar’s funeral by using ethos to present himself as a credible source and a friend of Caesar. Antony states his purpose in the beginning of his speech by starting with “I come to bury
In his thoughtful and critical speech, Brutus, a senator of Rome who is friends with Caesar, utilizes rhetorical devices in order to persuade himself that killing Caesar is beneficial to the people. Toward the middle of the speech, Brutus uses Pathos in a metaphor to prove to himself “that lowliness is young ambition’s ladder” that but once one reaches the top of the ladder, he will “[scorn] the base degrees by which he did ascend” (II, i, 22 & 26-27). This metaphor is comparing humility to a ladder in which ambitious people use to climb to achieve great power. Although, once one reaches the power, the ladder is no longer any use for them and they will look down on the steps and people that had helped them get to this place in scornfulness.
Brutus says Caesar is ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man, but was Caesar really that ambitious? The speaker, Marc Antony, is trying to convince all the people of Rome into liking him more than the people that killed Caesar. Marc Antony uses many rhetorical analysis tactics to do this. In Marc Antony’s speech, he uses forms of rhetorical analysis, such as pathos, ethos, and logos, to help persuade the people of Rome to go against his conspirators. At the start of his speech, Marc Antony begins with “Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your ears."
By refusing to read the will several times and admitting that what it contains will cause the people to have such a great love for Caesar that knowing he is now dead will be unbearable, Antony ignites curiosity in the people and furthermore, a subconscious feeling of respect and graciousness toward Caesar. Basically, Antony uses Caesar’s will to convince the people that Caesar was a selfless, kind-hearted man and those who killed him should be ashamed and punished for killing an innocent man. Through Antony’s use of paralipsis, he is able to plant a seed of admiration for Caesar and one of hate for the conspirators in the hearts of the plebeians. In his speech to the citizens, Antony also asks many rhetorical questions to cause his audience to pause and reflect on how they really feel, or how Antony wants them to feel, about certain people and events that have recently become important. In one instance.
Brutus continuously mentions that Caesar was ambitious. In his famous quote he says, “As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him.” Brutus uses the repetition of ambitious to emphasize the conspirator 's reason for murdering Caesar. By repeating the word “ambitious” he makes sure that the audience knew exactly why Caesar had to be killed. This helps to create the specific effect of justifying the conspirator 's actions because it gives the audience a solid reason for why Caesar was dangerous.
Near the beginning of his candid speech, he uses several rhetorical devices to sadden the crowd. Antony talks about his friendship with Caesar: O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason! — Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me.
While Brutus spoke well, but had no real factual standpoint, Antony gave many examples of Caesar’s achievements. In his speech he uses Pathos, Logos, Ethos, and Situational Irony to sway his audience. He uses Brutus’ and Cassius’ precious honor and Caesar’s achievements against them, saying, “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept./ Ambition should be made of sterner stuff./ Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,/ And Brutus is an honorable man” (3.2.90-93). In this statement and many other statements following the same pattern Antony degrades the honor and the arguments of Caesar’s ambition that were made by Brutus and the other conspirators.
Rhetoric in the Speeches of Brutus and Antony The death of Caesar is a controversial topic and was even more controversial at the time of his funeral when when senators were trying to benefit from his death by getting the Roman citizens on their side. At Caesar’s funeral, two senators gave speeches as an attempt to get the roman people on their side. Out of the two speeches, Marc Antony’s speech was more effective because of his use of appeals and biases, being 100% true and had a larger variety of rhetorical devices.
(3.2.73).Then Antony continues to talk to the crowded about how he thought that caesar will be remembered for the bad he did and will be buried with the good that he did for people around the town. ”The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interrèd with their bones. So let it be with Caesar”.(3.2.74).He has yet to use one of the Rhetorical Appeals in his speech to use to get the crowded on his side backing him up. It is not till later on in the speech he uses Pathos to play with their Emotions “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept”.(3.2.90).Saying how he is sad to see that Caesar was killed,Stating that he misses him and that he will cry about this moment. He does not focus on how he cares he just states three or four lines that show he cares the rest of the time he is talking about what caesar had done.
Antony uses pathos he communicates to the people in a way that Brutus did not. Since, Antony is not allowed to say anything bad at the funeral he discretely criticizes Brutus and Cassius because he feels that what they did was wrong. For example, when Antony makes a comment that is contrary to what he means, he says “But Brutus is an honourable man”. Antony uses a lot of pathos because he wants the citizens to feel the way he is feeling. For example, he says he wants to read them the letter but he does not want to make them weep because of how much Caesar loved them.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff" (Shakespeare Act 3 Scene 2). The will of Caesar is brought fourth and read to the audience as well, after Antony has already completely won the crowd over to rebellion, "Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal. To every Roman citizen he gives to every several man seventy-five drachmas" (Shakespeare Scene 3 Act 2). The reason emotions appeal to the crowd so heavily is because of the fact that they've just realized they've lost a leader who evidently loves all of
When Brutus spoke about his motives to kill Caesar he said, “As he was valiant I / honor him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him.” (3.2.27-28). Brutus honored Caesar but saw that his ambition has the potential of being very dangerous. He thought that a danger like Caesar could not be left to grow more powerful when there is a solution to the issue now.
Brutus delivers his speech in a laudatory manner by conveying Caesar’s deeds and claiming he was ambitious, although Antony contradicts Brutus’ claims and says Caesar spurned the crown with the intent to merely rule as a de facto dictator. Brutus’ speech reveals his motives were truly for the benefit of Rome given his nationalistic tone and Antony’s speech was merely used to obscure his true motives, which was to embroil Rome in a series of civil wars to attain power. Brutus and Antony’s speeches consisted predominantly of Pathos and Ethos, but it is Antony who ultimately it is Antony who prevails because of his almost disingenuous attitude and even use of Logos which is seen when claims that reading Caesar’s will would dishonor his compeers and even Caesar