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An exploration of brutus as a tragic hero
An exploration of brutus as a tragic hero
A compare and contrast essay for brutus and mark antonys speech
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Brutus and Mark Antony are both major characters in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Brutus is a supporter of the republic who believes strongly in a government guided by the votes of senators. While Brutus loves Caesar as a friend, he opposes the ascension of any single man to the position of dictator, and he fears that Caesar aspires to such power. Brutus’s inflexible sense of honor makes it easy for Caesar’s enemies to manipulate him into believing that Caesar must die in order to preserve the republic. While the other conspirators act out of envy and rivalry, only Brutus truly believes that Caesar’s death will benefit Rome. Unlike Caesar, Brutus is able to separate completely his public life from his private life; by giving priority to matters …show more content…
of state, he epitomizes Roman virtue. Torn between his loyalty to Caesar and his allegiance to the state, Brutus becomes the tragic hero of the play. Mark Antony is a friend of Caesar. Antony claims allegiance to Brutus and the conspirators after Caesar’s death in order to save his own life. Later, however, when speaking a funeral oration over Caesar’s body, he spectacularly persuades the audience to withdraw its support of Brutus and instead condemn him as a traitor. With tears on his cheeks and Caesar’s will in his hand, Antony engages masterful rhetoric to stir the crowd to revolt against the conspirators. Antony’s desire to exclude Lepidus from the power that Antony and Octavius intend to share hints at his own ambitious nature. In Brutus' speech, he wants Rome to understand that he had a great love for Caesar but his love for Rome was greater. He was more concerned for the well-being of Rome, than his love for his friend. Mark Antony, on the other hand, tried to persuade the people that Julius Caesar did not deserve to die. Mark Antony refutes Brutus' accusations of Caesar, being overly ambitious, by giving examples of his humility and his great love for Romans. Brutus wanted to prove his honorability and Mark Antony said he was not intending to disprove his honorability in his speech. Though they head different perspectives, one of the things they have in common is that they were both friends of Julius Caesar and loved him deeply.
In his speech, Mark Antony says, "He was my friend, faithful and just to me." ... "My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause til it come back to me." He genuinely loved Caesar, as did Brutus. In Brutus' speech he says, "If there be any in this assembly, any dear of Caesars, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his," ... "Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more." Another thing they have is common is that they both want to appeal to "Romans". For example, in his speech, Brutus says, "Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lover!" In Mark Antony's speech he says something similar, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, land me your ears,". Lastly, both are using persuasive techniques in the way they speak in their speeches. "Who here so rude that would not he a Roman?" Brutus says in his speech. It is irony Brutus is saying, "Who would be a traitor to Rome?". Mark Antony uses persuasive techniques by saying, "He hath brought many captives home to Rome, whose ransoms did the general coffers fill. Did this of Caesar seem ambitious?", Mark Antony constantly refutes Brutus' claim of Caesar being ambitious by giving examples as to how he wasn't ambitious. He asked rhetorical …show more content…
questions. Although the two had similarities, they also had differences.
Firstly, Mark Antony uses pathos to emotion in his speech, "And men have lost their reason. Bear with me; my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar," ... "O now you weep, and I perceive you feel the dint of pity. These are gracious drops, kind souls, what weep you when you but behold our Caesars vesture wounded? Look you here, Here is himself, marr'd as you see with traitors." In Brutus speech he uses the logos appeal to logic. Brutus says, "Believe me for mine honor, and have respect for mine honor, that you may honor, you may believe." He wants people to believe he is honorable, because it is what he believes. Brutus says "Not that I loved Caesar less, but I love Rome more." He believed Caesars death was for the better. "Had you rather Caesar were living, and all die, than that Caesar were dead to live all free men?" Brutus said in part of his speech, he said this because he wanted to convince the people that Caesars death meant something. On the other hand, Mark Antony disagreed. He wanted to rally the crowd about Caesar's death, by using emotions against them. Although he may not have said go burn the traitors but he did make them feel the way they did for them to do it. He says, "You all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?" Brutus believed Caesar's death was for the better of Rome, "Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar
were dead than live all free men?" Mark Antony believes Brutus was wrong about Caesar being ambitious, in his speech he says, "When the poor have wept, Caesar hah cried: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?" ... "You all did see that on Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?" Brutus says many times throughout the speech that Caesar was ambitious but gave no reason as to why, "But he was ambitious, I slew him." "There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and death for his ambition." In conclusion, the funeral speeches given by Brutus and Mark Antony are both moving and persuasive. They have differences and similarities as people and in their speeches. Although they were both friends with Caesar, Brutus was devoted to Rome and was at peace with Caesar's death. While Mark Antony strongly felt that Caesar was loved by many and was angry about the death of Caesar. They were both dear friends of Caesar. They both wanted to appeal to the "Romans". They both used persuasive techniques. Mark Antony uses pathos, while Brutus uses logos. Brutus believed Caesar's death was for the good of Rome, Mark Antony believed Cesar's death was wrong. Mark Antony believed Brutus was wrong about Caesar being ambitious, while Brutus truly believed Caesar was ambitious.
In his speech, Brutus appeals to the loyalism of his audience by making intertwining arguments of ethos, pathos, and logos. He begins by establishing his ethos by asserting his status as an honorable fellow Roman worthy of their respect. He expands on this ethos by dividing it into three parts: his love of Caesar, his loyalty to Rome, and his relationship to his audience. Brutus tells his audience that he was a “dear friend” to the man he murdered, invoking a pathetic sense of sympathy from his audience. However, as he says himself, it was “not that [he] loved Caesar less, but that [he] loved Rome more,” strengthening his ethos as a loyal countryman with the interests of his audience at heart. After establishing an emotional connection to his audience and earning their trust, Brutus explains his logic
The book Julius Caesar is full of happiness, conspiracy, power, and betrayal. The people of Rome deeply loved julius Caesar and wished to make him their king. A group of senators however were not so fond of this idea and formed a conspiracy. The leader of this group was a man by the name of Cassius. In order to make sure that his scheme of killing Caesar would work and would look honorable he had to convince a senator by the name of Brutus to help. After being convinced that they had to kill Caesar to protect Rome from a tyrant Brutus joined the conspiracy and soon became the principal conspirator.On the day in which Caesar was to be crowned king he was on the way to the senate when he was stabbed by all the conspirators panic ensued and to convince Rome of their honorable intentions Brutus gave a funeral speech. Mark Antony, a very close friend of Caesar, gave his speech after Brutus had given his. Mark Antony’s speech is more persuasive to the Roman people because of his outstanding use of pathos, sarcasm, and logos.
Antony asks rhetorical questions and lets the audience answer for themselves. Brutus uses ethos by stating that he a noble man and that is why the people should believe him but infact Antony questions his nobility by saying what Brutus said,” Brutus is an honourable man”(III.ii.79). In a way, Antony states what Brutus states to convince the audience by using examples that Brutus is wrong. Antony himself knows what kind of man Brutus is but lets the people figure it out on their own. In addition, Brutus uses logos by expressing that fact that Caesar died because of his ambition. This argument is severely under supported because his reasons are invalid and simply observations. Antony uses “did this in Caesar seem ambitious” to question Brutus’ argument (III.ii.82). Antony gives examples backing his argument like when Caesar refused the crown thrice to prove his humbleness. The way Antony convinces the people to rebel is by using pathos. He brings the audience in by stepping down to their level and showing them the body of Caesar. While Antony talks at Caesar's funeral, he pauses because” heart us in the coffin there with Caesar “(III.ii.98). When Antony becomes emotional, he reminds the audience about what injust event happened to the much loved
Both Caesar and Brutus have a tragic flaw. In the beginning of the play a soothsayer is telling Caesar to beware the ides of march Caesar Responds “He is a dreamer; Brutus leave him. Pass” (shakespeare page??? line????) When Caesar tells the soothsayer this it shows that he does not believe that he could be harmed. Just like caesar, Brutus suffered a tragic flaw, his being trusting everyone. After Caesar is dead Antony wants to say a speech at Caesar 's funeral, after making the crowd violent says “Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, take thou the course thou wilt.”(shakespeare3.2.266-264). Brutus trusted Antony to say some nice words about Caesar, instead he turn the crowd violent. Caesar and Brutus love the roman people and would sacrifice anything for them. after Caesar dies Antony reads “ to every roman citizen he gives, to every several man, seventy-five drachmas”( page lines title). Caesar loved the romans so much he gave them all a bit of his money after he died. Even though he was prideful he loved the romans as much as Brutus. Brutus saw that under Caesar 's rule romans were suffering and says” Not that i love Caesar less, but that I loved/Rome more”(?) He Explains why he felt
...rence between these speeches is obviously that they had different views. As said earlier, Brutus was trying to approach that killing Caesar was a good deed for Rome, while Antony’s view is that Caesar did not deserve to die and that the conspirators were the real enemies. They also used their rhetorical devices in different ways to state their points, persuading different people in the audience.
Antony and Brutus are both loyal, noble men and their loyalties shape their characters, drives their actions, and decides the very future of Rome. Brutus loves Caesar, but he loves Rome more. Antony has no need to choose between his country and best friend. Before Caesar's death both men are guarded and somewhat a secret to the reader. After Caesar's murder, however, their true personalities emerge. Antony and Brutus may seem the same, and that was they are in theory, from their positions, character traits, to the very friend's they keep they are alike almost to a point of absurdity. In practice, though, you will find them rather different due to the mistakes and decisions made by both parties.
Brutus emerges as the most ambiguous and complex character in Julius Caesar and is also the play’s tragic hero. In his soliloquies the audience gains insight into the complexities of his motives. In Brutus’s first soliloquy he states “It must be by his death and for my part I know no personal cause to spurn at him But for the general”(Act 2,scene 1, Julius Caesar). This highlights the internal struggle brutus is going through. He loved Caesar as a friend but yet he loved Rome more, he had to make a decision to kill his best friend for the good of the Roman empire.
Greed, ambition, and the possibility of self-gain are always constant in their efforts to influence people’s actions. In Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, a venerable politician, becomes a victim of the perpetual conflict between power-hungry politicians and ignorant commoners. He is a man of honor and good intentions who sacrifices his own happiness for the benefit of others. Unfortunately, his honor is strung into a fine balance between oblivion and belief and it is ultimately the cause of his downfall. His apparent obliviousness leads him to his grave as his merciful sparing of Mark Antony’s life, much like Julius Caesar’s ghost, comes back to haunt him. Overall, Brutus is an honest, sincere man who holds the lives of others in high regard while he himself acts as a servant to Rome.
In Julius Caesar two men, Antony and Brutus, make two different speeches but with the same concept of ethos, logos, and pathos at Caesar's funeral. Brutus claims that it is okay that he killed Caesar and makes a speech about it. Antony is the more persuasive speaker than Brutus because he uses ethos, pathos, and logos better than Brutus. Brutus has a way with the people. He is a politician, and he knows how to get the people on his side.
& respects the intelligence of the common people to understand a speech given in verse. Brutus's authoritative air is once again illustrated at the very opening line of his oration when he demands the attention of the people, "Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my / cause, and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me / for mine honor and have respect to mine honor, that / you may believe"(Act III, scene ii, lines 13-16). this one line, Antony uses Brutus's words to his advantage by changing them to make himself sound friendlier. By the very first word of Antony's speech, one can infer that he is about to give a humbling oration; he uses the ethical appeal to convince the people to believe in his cause rather than Brutus's. Finally, while the crowd is in awe of Brutus's raw power and booming authority, Antony uses sarcasm He is "an honorable man" (Act III, scene II, line 84) in a tone of biting mockery, therefore questioning Brutus's credibility. & nbsp; It is true that the Roman people have emotions that sway with the winds, but this is partly due to the great speaking skills of both Brutus and Mark Antony.
In the play Julius Caesar, written and preformed by William Shakespeare, there are many characters, but two, Brutus and Cassius, stood out. The play begins in Rome where a celebration of Julius Caesar's victory over the former ruler of Rome, Pompeii. The victory leads to Caesar's betrayal by his jealous companions. Senators and other high status figures are jealous of Caesar's new and growing power, while others, like Brutus, fear the tyrannical rule Caesar could enforce. The conspirators, Brutus and Cassius being the most important, assassinate Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, better known as Antony, and Octavius Caesar, Caesar's heir to the thrown, revenge Caesar's death. Antony convinces the Roman populous to destroy the conspirators and eventually begins a war with Cassius and Brutus' armies. Both Cassius and Brutus commit suicide to save their honor and Antony and Octavius win the war. The characterizations of Brutus and Cassius show a distinct contrast in their character traits and motives for the assassination of Julius Caesar.
Brutus was a crowd favorite and was very loved and admired by everyone. “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect for mine honor, that you may believe” [III,ii,14-16]. Brutus says this ethical statement to remind the crowd that he is the honorable lovable Brutus and to remember him as that not the Man who killed Caesar. Brutus refers to the people of rome's wisdom in his speech like “Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge.” [III,ii,16-17]. Brutus also uses ethos better than antony in his speech and by the looks of it so far brutus’s speech is
Both Cassius and Brutus play major roles in the play Julius Caesar. Cassius and Brutus both plan Caesar’s death. Although they are working towards a common goal, Cassius and Brutus have very different motivations for doing this. On the one hand, Cassius sees it as a way to gain more power for himself while destroying the king and all his power. On the other hand, Brutus believes that in killing Caesar he is preserving peace for the Romans’ future years. Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses different techniques to create biased characterizations of the two men so that readers and viewers develop identical attitudes towards each of them. In Julius Caesar, Cassius is portrayed as a greedy villain while Brutus is depicted as an honorable hero.
Brutus was one of many Romans with noble bloodlines. Although Brutus was noble, he never used it to get ahead. There are many times when Brutus could have used the fact that he is truly noble but he didn’t. Many people argue that a noble man wouldn’t have killed Caesar. In some ways that is true, but Brutus’ case was different. A noble man would only for the good of others and that is what Brutus did. He killed Caesar because 7he was afraid of how powerful he could become. Even then he had a hard time doing it, and that is what separates Brutus from the other conspirators. Every other conspirator had little or no reason to kill Caesar. Brutus was willing to do anything for Rome. During his speech about Caesar’s murder Brutus stated “I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death” (III.ii.45-46). This shows how Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (III.ii.20-22). He was too passionate about his country to let Caesar turn it into a dictatorship. Mark Antony and Octavius recognized that Brutus was the one noble roman. In his final speech mark Antony said “This was the noblest roman of them all. / All the conspirators save only he/ Did that they did i...
While Brutus sees life as something to be solved with logic and guided by morality, Mark Antony views life as something that he can twist and mold into whatever he needs it to be at any given moment. Mark Antony uses the audience of the funeral speech as tools to wrench the Roman Republic from the hands of Brutus and place the crown on his own head. He inspires rage and distrust in the plebeians, and directly spurs on the Battle of Philippi. Brutus is roped into this situation despite his unselfish motives, and has to defend himself and his fellows against the armies of Mark Antony and the young Octavius. From beginning to end, the characters of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar are true to their defining qualities and do not depart from the molds they have cast of