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Character of Brutus by Mark Antony
Character of Brutus by Mark Antony
The characters of Marcus Brutus and Mark Antony
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There are many differences between Mark Antony and Brutus during their funeral speeches. For instance, Antony appeals to emotions, while Brutus appeals to logical statements. The way they appeal in their speeches is completely parallel to their character traits. Brutus is introverted, and explains the reasoning behind killing Caesar, and is also a trained orator has gives a very rehearsed speech. You can see this clearly in the beginning of his speech.
Where Mark antony and brutus are clearly separated in thought is where he believes that he can use logic to appeal to the crowd. He is excited to focus on himself during the speech and only really makes comments about himself. In his mind the crowd is very smart and will identify with him because
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
Brutus vs Antony The most predominate and important aspect in the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare are the speeches given to the Roman citizens by Brutus and Antony, the two main characters, following the death of Caesar. Brutus and Antony both spoke to the crowd, using the same rhetorical devices to express their thoughts. Both speakers used the three classical appeals employed in the speeches: ethos, which is an appeal to credibility; pathos, which is an appeal to the emotion of the audience; and logos, which is an appeal to the content and arrangement of the argument itself. Even though both speeches have the same structure, Antony’s speech is significantly more effective than Brutus’s. Both speakers used an ethical appeal to the crowd and established their credibility.
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.
Depending on the cause and how they speak is how an audience will react. The ending can make or break how it went, you always want to leave the crowd with your main point or something to get across to them. Brutus mentions Antony “Do grace Caesar’s corpse and grace his speech”(3.2.62-63), this leaves people in anticipation of Mark Antony’s speech and to give him respect and time. Agnes Heller says “Brutus is not a man without passions...such as friendship, courage, magnanimity, temperance, and justice.”(Heller) this can show that Brutus does not know any better than to tell the people about Mark Antony and support him because he is too kind hearted to purposely not give Antony a chance to speak. Mark Antony however ends his speech with pathos and emotion, “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar”(3.2.108) which makes the crowd sympathize for him. Also Antony makes sure to include a dramatic pause for his speech to sink in and for effect, this causes the people to go out into a riot. Antony got the reaction he was looking for by angering the Romans, seeing that Caesar is dead without good cause. In the article “The Tragic Hero of Julius Caesar” Paolucci says that “Marc Antony will be the key figure in the determination of the fate of Rome and of the conspirators/liberators.”(Paolucci). In the play Antony does become a key factor in their fate, this speech is part of it because he quickly turns the Roman citizens against them. The kind of reputation that you have in a community can also have a huge part in making people listen to you. Brutus was known as the nobleman throughout Rome that people would often listen to and trust. Mark Antony was known as Caesar’s loyal friend but also did not have to bad of a reputation in Rome, maybe not as good as Brutus but it was not bad. “Here comes his body mourned by Antony”(Shakespeare, 3.2.42) shows empathy to Mark Antony and makes the audience start focusing on Antony instead of himself and
Shakespeare uses dramatic pathos, ethos, repetition and logos in the case of Antony to make his speech memorable in his effectiveness to sway the audience’s opinion. William’s use of Antony having the last word and subterfuge powerfully displayed a moment of literature memorable for the art of persuasion and manipulation. He veiled the true intent. The weaker written speech for Brutus had one effective point. The point that he killed Caesar for Rome. The breakdown of Brutus’s speech makes readers feel the tension and
Analysis of the Funeral Speeches of Brutus and Marc Antony from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar At the funeral of Julius Caesar two characters make speeches to the plebeian mob, Brutus and Marc Antony. Shakespeare shows us the personalities of the two orators and gives one an advantage over the other. Marc Antony has an advantage over Brutus because he speaks after Brutus and he has Caesar’s body. He also interrupts Brutus’ speech.
In the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare wrote two different speeches that characters Mark Antony and Brutus delivered. Both had different objectives. Antony and Brutus were both good friends of Julius Caesar. Antony was a Roman and general. Brutus was a senator. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Antony prepared a speech on the behalf of Caesar's death. Brutus went first, then Antony followed after him, and both of speeches had different reactions from the citizens of Rome. Brutus and Antony's speeches had as to their intentions and its outcome.
One of the characteristics Brutus and Antony use in their speeches is Ethos. They both give points that have credibility or believability. Brutus, for example, spoke in prose instead of blank verse. He did this to show them that he is one of them and not some high ruler trying to take power. He also uses his reputation to try to get them to listen and believe him. On the other hand, Antony speaks in blank verse instead of prose. He did this to show his authority to the crowd. He spoke that way to show his significance to the crowd and to get their attention. Another thing that he
After the assassination of Julius Caesar, both Brutus and Antony speak to the people of Rome. Brutus speaks to convince his countrymen that he and the others were justified in their actions; Caesar was a threat to their freedom and country. Antony exemplifies in his speech that Caesar was not ambitious and always had the people’s well-being in mind. Both of these speakers are effective in persuading the Romans of their cause but Brutus’s speech is most effective because of the way he was able to communicate his reasoning clearly and make the audience thankful for his actions.
The first and most obvious difference in the two funeral orations is their lengths. Brutus's speech is composed of 403 authoritative words; whereas Antony's speech makes an immense impact with 1097 words. Brutus is over-confident and only says what he needs to in order to get his point across. He does not expect anything more than a tear-filled eulogy from Antony, therefore shortening his explanation of Caesar's murder. Brutus is also having some regrets about his murderous deed, and he does not want to sound as if he is defending himself or his motives, simply interpreting them. Antony, on the other hand, has much more to say than Brutus anticipates. His speech is split into six lengthy sections. First, Antony counters what Brutus says by proving that Caesar was not ambitiou...
Brutus repeatedly says, “If any, speak, for him have I offended,” (III.ii.25). Brutus’ tactic is to try to force someone, or dare them, to disagree with him, which no one ends up doing. Brutus tries to make people fear him, which works for a brief period of time. Mark Antony, on the other hand, goes on the attack, rather than the defense, by repeatedly saying, “Yet Brutus said he was ambitious; And… he is an honourable man.” (III.ii.89-90). By going on the offensive side, Mark Antony uses the repetition of this extreme usage of irony and sarcasm to make the audience understand that all of this is Brutus’ fault and that he should be punished for his crimes, no matter his intentions. Both groups use similar rhetorical strategies to prove that Caesar should or should not be dead for what he has done, with differing results. Brutus and Mark Antony also use emotional appeals to persuade their audience that they are correct in the matter of the death of their esteemed
Both Brutus and Portia are effective speakers and have their own style of speaking; however, only one remains to be the more convincing person. Brutus rejects Cassius’ plan of murdering Mark Antony along with Caesar, saying that to do so would be too violent and would seem unjust to the commoners. He eventually persuades the men that are involved in the plan to let Antony live by the reasons of seeming insane in front of the people and that Antony is not a threat because he simply only supports Caesar (“Shakespeare” 163-184). Brutus is able to put himself in the shoes of the commoners, so that the action of killing Caesar could be justified. In addition, he reminds the men that their original plan is to only kill Caesar to prevent the fall
He is much more free about expressing his pride, proud of his intelligence and his independent spirit. He is influenced by ideas, instead of what other people think. He is a very manipulative and a sensitive person. “Brutus, bait not me. I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself. To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I, Older in practice, abler than yourself to make conditions.” ( Shakespeare 4:3:28-33 ) Both of them realize Antony in a different way, this is where their personalities clash and their differences begin. Cassius is a very jealous of Caesar’s position and fearful of what Rome might become if Caesar becomes the king. Brutus and Cassius were both good men and believed what they are doing were for the good of everyone else no matter what is going to happen to them.
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
There are two people who are debated to be the main character of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. These characters Brutus and Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar and Brutus both have many differences and similarities