The Rhetorical Questions In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

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.

By asking questions such as, "Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?" (Act III, Scene II), Antony highlights the contradictions and hypocrisies present in the statements made by Brutus and his co-conspirators. Moreover, Antony's repeated emphasis on Caesar's virtues and his loyalty to Rome serve to further engender the crowd's affection towards him. In doing so, Antony is able to gain the support of the masses, ultimately leading to a chaotic and violent uprising against the conspirators. His skillful employment of rhetorical questions and his masterful use of language play a crucial role in swaying the opinions of the Roman

Mark Antony is trying to win over the people of Rome by his very effective use of rhetoric. In his speech, his overall point is to persuade the Roman citizens that Brutus’s claim of Caesar being ambitious is not true. Antony’s use of rhetorical devices such as a rhetorical question give the people a good message. When he is telling them that Caesar brought many captives to Rome, he asks, “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious” (3.2.18). Antony’s rhetorical question was very effective since he is making the people question Brutus’s claim.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar- Rhetorical Analysis In the novel, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, after Brutus brutally executes Caesar in Act 3 Scene 2, Antony is allowed to give a speech to the people of Rome whom have seen witnessed this fatal tragedy in Scene 3. Antony uses anaphora, connotative diction and details throughout his speech to persuade the Romans to change their perspective of Caesar and Brutus. The way Antony speaks about both Caesar & Brutus are a dispute of what he is actually trying to announce to the Romans. At the end of his speech, Antony hopes to reach the Romans emotionally (pathos) by enraging them against Brutus’s false statements against Caesar.

By questioning Brutus’ honorability while also providing substantial evidence that Caesar was not ambitious, he manages to sway the plebeian's emotions from joy to sorrow and anger, while also leaving them with a distinct hatred and disrespect for Brutus and the rest of the

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.

Antony is refuting Brutus’ argument that Caesar was too ambitious and that is why he needed to be assassinated. He brings up the time when Caesar denied the crown several times and asks the audience, “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?”

On the contrary, Antony's use of rhetorical questions effectively shifts the way the romans think of caesar by saying “You all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you then, you mourn for him?”. For the first time, the romans are being asked why is that they love Caesar, in this moment the question if affective. The reason for its effectiveness is because Anthony is preaching a new concept, this causes people to think, as well as feel. For so long, they had been forced to love Caesar, this rhetorical question gave the power to people to rethink what they had been force fed for so

Analysis Of Julius Caesar Funeral Death Speeches Julius Caesar was like a god to his people because he was the leader in Rome, and he influenced numerous individuals. People were shocked when Caesar was murdered by Bursitis because they lost their hero. During Caesar’s funeral, as described in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar , there are two speeches given by Brutus and Anthony. Some of the rhetorical terms that are used in the death speeches are antithesis, metaphor, chiasmus, and alliteration which will be explained in the body of this essay.

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

Antony then steps up to the plate to give his speech. “The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious… He hath brought many captives home to Rome Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:... I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he thrice refuse: was this ambition?”

In William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony wants revenge on the conspirators who killed Caesar. Following Julius Caesar's death, Mark Antony uses many different rhetorical devices such as pathos and ethos in his speech that help convince the Plebeians to go against the conspirators. Attempting to draw the emotions out of the plebeians, Mark Antony uses pathos to persuade them. Mark Antony says, “ My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me” (3.2. 106-107). This statement emphasizes how much Antony loved Caesar and the grief he is now feeling that his closest friend is dead.

He successfully accomplishes his objective of convincing the mob that Brutus is a traitor and the conspirators are at fault. He played with emotions which was the right thing to do rather than applying logic. He used emotional phrases such as, "My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar" and "Oh judgment; thou art fled to brutish beasts". Which allows him to have a connect with the crowds feeling at the death of Caesar .Antony does not let the restriction of going against the conspirators hinder his speech. He begins not by attacking Brutus or the conspirators, but by praising Caesar.

This pulls on the pathos of the audience because the rhetorical question pulls on their conscience. Their conscience is questioning whether the murder of Caesar is justifiable, since he was not all the ambitious according to Antony. This allows for Antony to take advantage of the easily pliable minds in the audience and flip their introspections to vanquish the conspirators. Shakespeare uses the repetition of the word ambitious in Antony’s speech to instigate the plebeians, and fill their minds with enough doubts to get them to rebel against the conspirators. Talking about how Caesar refused the crown three times at the Luperical, Antony proclaims, “Which he did thrice refuse; was this ambition. /Yet

Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; and sure he is an honorable man” (III.ii.97-100). Antony says he offered Caesar the crown 3 times, and Caesar denied the crown all 3 times. Ambition can be defined as an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment. Without directly saying that Caesar was not ambitious and disagree with Brutus because of his rules, he instead shows an example that Caesar was not ambitious, but then say that Brutus is an honorable man.