This essay is written on The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, written by famous English poet, William Shakespeare. The play is included in the genre of tragedies. The story follows the events leading up to and succeeding the killing of the Roman ruler, Julius Caesar. In Act III of the play, one of the main characters in the play, Brutus, must speak to the crowd of common Romans to try and justify killing their leader. After this, another character, Antony, delivers an opposing speech that is taken more to heart by the Romans and incites riots against Brutus and the group of conspirators that helped him kill Caesar. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Antony’s speech is more effective than Brutus’s because Antony appeals to the emotions of the commoners …show more content…
Brutus says to the people, “Had you rather Caesar were living and live as slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” (Act III, Scene ii, Lines 22-23) By this, he is trying to make the commoners understand that if Caesar were to be kept alive, the entire city would be living a slave-like lifestyle under a tyrannical leader. Brutus also tries to use his already acclaimed respect for his honor and nobility from the commoners to his advantage by saying “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor that you may believe.” (Act III, Scene ii, Lines 15-16) Brutus at this point is a well known character throughout the city of Rome, and is highly respected among the commoners and senators …show more content…
Antony publicly questions Brutus’s motive for Caesar's ambition. Antony says, “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff” (Act III, Scene ii, Lines 90-91) By saying this, he is trying to show the commoners that Caesar was not clouded in his own ambition as the conspirators thought, and that he had the best interest in mind for Rome and its people. Antony also explains how the conspirators are bad men and have committed a dishonorable act on their leader. Antony cries out, “For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel” (Act III, Scene ii, Line 176) He tells the crowd how Brutus was a man that Caesar knows that he could trust, and has been one of his best friends for a long time, but Brutus turned his back on his old friend and betrayed him. Anony then goes on to show the crowd the stab wounds on the corpse and read Caesar’s will, inciting further uproar and
By reminding the Roman people of their previous love for Caesar, Antony incites guilt into his audience, because they were calling Caesar a tyrant, yet only one day before, they all loved Caesar. Antony's argument was more effective than Brutus' was because Antony's argument sparked emotion in the spectators, and it exposed the hypocrisy that the pulpit was exhibiting. All Brutus said is that Caesar was his friend. This hints that there may be a reasonable cause for Caesar's murder, but does not place such a strong emotion in the audience as Antony
Antony knew this would have an impact on the plebeians and it certainly did. Finally Antony destroys Brutus’ argument. First off he reminds the plebeians that Caesar truly did care about all the people of Rome. “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept” (III.2.90). He also brings up how he offered Caesar the crown three times and three times he refused it.
Marc Antony’s speech in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar excels in persuasive rhetoric. He uses all three modes of persuasion- ethos, pathos, and logos. Shakespeare uses them to express different perspectives of human emotion. The use of these writing methods are important because, it appeals to the audience. Everyone likes to hear valid reasons why they should believe, buy, or boycott something.
His acknowledgement of Brutus saying “[Caesar] was ambitious” (III.ii.82) followed immediately by his saying that Brutus “is an honorable man” (III.ii.83) repetitively shows the crowd that Antony is ungrateful for the conspirators allegedly saving Rome. This repetition becomes sarcastic, creating an ungrateful feeling throughout the crowd. He also repeats good traits of Caesar, including how “He was [Antony’s] friend, faithful and just to [Antony]” (III.ii.81) which establishes an emotional connection between him and the citizens. He uses aposiopesis to display how the assassination has affected him, once again using emotion to persuade the crowd to see the murder the same way he views it. He reminds the citizens that “when that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept” (III.ii.87) which establishes another emotional connection between the fallen leader and the
In the play Julius Caesar by, Julius Shakespeare, both Antony and Brutus give speeches after Caesar died. Brutus tells the people that it was for the good of Rome and had to be done. Brutus also backs up his claim by giving examples of how “ambitious” Caesar was. Antony on the other hand wanted to persuade the Roman people that what Brutus and the conspirators was wrong and they need to seek revenge. Both Antony and Brutus use Ethos, Logos, and Pathos, which are tools used in speaking or writing to persuade people.
Antony's skillful use of emotional appeal, rhetorical questions, and loaded language creates a powerful argument that sways the people of Rome to join him in avenging Caesar and his supporters for the heinous crimes committed against them by Brutus and his conspirators. Antony's skillful use of language is central to his success, as it allows him to manipulate public opinion and engender fervent support for his cause. This essay will examine how Antony uses these rhetorical devices to great effect, leading to the tragic end of Caesar's life and the further destabilization of Rome's political climate. In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, Antony's use of emotional appeal plays a key role in swaying the opinions of the Roman citizens against the
In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Brutus and Antony both used different techniques in order to capture the audience's attention and approval in their speeches about Caesar's death. They both include repetition, rhetorical strategies, dramatic pauses, and parallelism in order to get the crowd on their sides. Both men use different strategies by knowing the audience and they use this to their advantage. Brutus and Antony both choose the use of Pathos and Ethos specifically appeal to the audience and their love for their country.
During the meeting with the Conspirators at his home, Brutus says to them, “No, not an oath” (II.i.125) because “what other oath” is better “than honesty to honesty engaged” (II.i.137-138). Brutus believes they do not need to pledge an oath because he already thinks they are loyal to Rome and that none of them will “palter”. Even before getting to know the rest of the conspirators, he already assumes that they are all there to plan the assassination of Caesar in order to make Rome a better place. All the conspirators, excluding Brutus, have a personal reason on why they want to kill Caesar, whether it is out of envy or pure hatred, but Brutus does not see that they harbor strong resentment towards Caesar. When the conspirators were talking about killing Caesar, Cassius brings up that they should kill Antony too, but Brutus dismisses that notion by claiming that “Antony is but a limb of Caesar” (II.i.179).
Antony’s Speech Using Rhetorical Appeals In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, after Caesar’s death, the Romans are conflicted about what should be done. After Brutus’ speech the Romans are ready to crown Brutus king and be on the conspirators’ side. Though Brutus then leaves the crowd while Antony delivers his speech, the crowd realizes what should be done of Caesar’s murder and Antony prevents the conspirators from getting away with the murder of Caesar.
When he ascends the pulpit to speak at Caesar’s funeral, Antony repeatedly says that Brutus is an “honorable man”, (Act III, Scene II) but continues to disprove his own claim with multiple pieces of evidence. By disproving his claim while seeming compassionate, Antony makes his audience believe that he is caring yet naive. This allows the audience to let their guard down and think that their later ideas are their own. Antony uses the crowds’ emotions to convince them that Brutus and the Conspirators aren’t honorable. Antony says that he won’t do the Conspirators wrong by stirring up a mutiny.
(3.2.180–87) This quote shows Antony trying to show the crowd the true brutality of the conspirators and show how in Caesar’s final moments of life he was betrayed by someone whom he thought loved him and supported him. Antony is trying make the crowd feel angered at the conspirators for betraying Caesar, and killing him. He uses these emotions to encourage the crowd to attack the conspirators, and make them pay for what they have done. To conclude, Antony utilizes Pathos in his argument in order to make the audience feel the need to go after the conspirators.
In Antony’s speech to the people, he speaks about Caesar over his dead body. His words make the commoners feel something, as opposed to Brutus,
Antony wanted people to be patient with him. He also says, “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff” (3.2. 100-101). Antony says this to show that Caesar was a good man who cared about the people. It was also to show that Brutus was wrong when he stated that Caesar was ambitious. Antony makes the citizens feel that the conspirators murder was
In this scene Caesar has been murdered by the conspirators including Brutus. Brutus is one of Caesar's good friends who is driven by honor; who thought Caesar’s ambition was going to be the end of Rome. Antony is a very loyal friend of Caesar’s who does not agree with the conspirators. Brutus and Antony are both smart well thought out characters. They desire to persuade the commoners to their side of the situation.
“O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! Thou art the ruins of the noblest man That ever livèd in the tide of times.” Act 3 Scene 1. Antony is genuinely distraught at the sight of Caesar and hates that he must play along with the conspirators in order to gain their trust. Later on Antony realizes that with Caesar gone, this conspirators will be the ones who rule over Rome.