Caesar's Speech in Julius Caesar

The Irrefutable Man

The Shakespearean play Julius Caesar, tells the behind the scenes story of the conspirators plan to kill the influential ruler, Caesar. In the play Caesar makes a speech referring to himself and describes his method of ruling Rome while comparing himself to the North Star. Prior to the speech the conspirators have come to the Senate to convince Caesar to forgive and restore Cimber after his banishment. But Caesar responds with this speech about him being persistent about his decisions. The speech that Caesar makes about himself can be considered an Epideictic or a Forensic speech, for the reason that he commends himself while creating an opinion of his past actions. This excerpt from the play leads up to the devious conspirators plan unfolding and the upsetting death of Caesar. Rhetoric is used throughout the speech in order to manipulate and convey how invincible Caesar is as well as express the overall theme of the play, be means of delivery, disposition, and style.

Delivery is used to persuade others by the way the speech is performed. It can be presented in ways such as tone, voice, emotion, and volume in order to convince the audience where he stands. An example of Caesar praising himself by using a tone change to make sure the attention is on him is, “I could be well moved if I were as you, If I could pray to move, prayers would move,” here he is saying that if he were in the Senate’s situation that he could easily be persuaded by Caesar’s oration, which gets the attention of the Senate and gives Caesar the floor (3,1,58 & 59). While Caesar says these lines it creates a picture in my mind of Caesar gesturing toward himself and the pride he has in his voice. Another example of Caesar’s delivery of thi...

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...ler star, which represents the commoners of Rome, with one larger star that represents Caesar. Using figurative language and imagery in speeches adds to the excitement of the scene, and in this case, the theme of the play, being fate vs. free will.

With this speech, Caesar seals his fate. After disregarding three separate warnings that his life would be in danger and he still goes to the Senate that day, Caesar sits surrounded by the noblemen and denies their request to revoke the banishment of Cimber. He denies fate and believes that his free will is enough to save him. His ego and self-importance grows stronger by the word, as he compares himself to the brightest star in the sky. He is stabbed to death by men who, until they were convinced otherwise, had been loyal to Rome and Caesar. By the end of the play, Caesar’s supercilious opinion of himself proves true.