Figurative Language In Julius Caesar Essay

In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Mark Antony speak to the plebeians of Caesar’s assassination in Act Three, Scene Two. Cassius is not supportive of letting Antony speak in fear that Antony will double cross the conspirators, but Brutus permits it with Antony promising to not speak badly of them.. Brutus speaks to the people of Rome first, explaining that he helped kill Caesar because his love for Rome was greater than his love for Caesar. The plebeians are pleased with Brutus’s speech. Once Antony appears carrying Caesar’s dead body, Brutus leaves to let Antony speak. This was a mistake on Brutus’s part because Antony does what exactly Cassius feared. In Antony’s speech to the plebeians he uses verbal irony, repetition, appeals to

self-interest and other emotions, props, and suspense to turn the plebeians against the assassinators of his friend.
Antony’s speech is filled to the brim with verbal irony, so much so that when his speech is spoken aloud, lines that weren’t identifiably ironic are heard in a different tone than read. “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 91-94). It is evident that Antony does not mean what he is saying of Brutus because if Caesar is crying harder than the plebeians are, and he is as ambitious as Brutus says he is, then Brutus isn’t as honorable as previously thought. In this line by Antony, “I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honorable men.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 125-127) he is obviously not telling the truth. When the line is read aloud it is distinct that if Antony really meant what he was saying, he would be torn apart by the plebeians. The conspirators aren’t honorable men. Antony’s tone of voice is changing his words to mean the opposite.
The use of repetition in Antony’s speech drives his point across that Brutus isn’t quite the man they all claim him to be.

Ambition and honorable are the most frequently used words that Antony uses when he describes Brutus and what Brutus says of Caesar. Brutus tells the plebeians that because Caesar was too ambitious he would bring Rome to the ground. Antony rebuts this by saying, “He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill; Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 88-90). Caesar was helping Rome by taking captives and using the ransom money on them to fill the public funds. Antony also says, “You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 95-97). His repeating of the word ‘ambition’ shows the people that Brutus’s statements were wrong and that Caesar was a better man than that. The repetition of honorable is used against Brutus as most people see him as an honorable and trustworthy man. “He was my friend, faithful and just to me; But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 85-87). Antony repeats that ambition and honorableness aren’t wholly correct. Antony uses the repetition of ambition of Caesar and Brutus’s honorableness hand-in-hand to show the fault in each statement. Caesar wasn’t ambitious and Brutus isn’t

honorable.
Antony plays with the plebeians emotions by showing them Caesar’s will and then going to another topic, only to bring up it later when it will benefit him the most.

“But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar; I found it is his closet; ‘tis his will. Let but the commons hear the testament, Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 128-131) is Antony’s trick up his sleeve. Brutus had talked rudely of Caesar so the plebeians would dislike Caesar, but Antony telling them Caesar left a will catches their attention. People are inherently selfish at times, and when Antony speaks of the will is the perfect example of the plebeians want for what Caesar has to offer. They learn that Caesar has left them drachmas and land, which is in their favor and turns their view on Caesar back towards positive. Antony goes on to speak of Caesar’s death, revealing who stabbed him if they hadn’t known before and of Brutus’s stab. “Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through; See what a rent the envious Casca made; Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed, And as he plucked his cursed steel away, Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 174-178). The plebeians are heartbroken by the news and become enraged at the conspirators, like Antony had hoped they would

be.
The props Antony uses are important factors that lead the plebeians to be swayed his way and away from Brutus. Caesar’s will is used to grab the plebeians attention towards the betterment of themselves. Antony tells the plebeians, “Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 240-242) and “Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbors, and new-planted orchards, On this side Tiber; he hath left them you, And to your heirs forever: common pleasures.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 247-250). By reading the will, Antony solidifies the plebeians happiness for wealth and land from Caesar. Antony also uses Brutus as a prop during his speech. While Brutus is not physically there like the will was, Antony is able to puppet Brutus’s name around. He is able to redirect the plebeians mindsets to see how great Caesar was and turn their backs on Brutus and the conspirators. Brutus is hit with most of the flack since he was the one that not many expected to hurt Caesar and since he was the only other person to speak at the funeral. “But were I Brutus, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue In every wound of Caesar that would move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 226-230). He puts Brutus into the narrative that would cause tyranny against himself, and it works wonderfully for Antony.
The element of suspense is used to Antony’s advantage since it allows for the plebeians to speak amongst themselves and think. He pauses towards the beginnings of his speech, “Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 105-107) and allows for the plebeians to ponder Antony’s speech and come to conclusions that contradict what they had earlier thought. This is exactly what Antony wants them to do. He does this again by bringing up the will but then tell them to wait for it, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 140). He delays them from knowing the contents of the will and diverts them. “Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile?” (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 149). His suspense creates anticipation for the plebeians and once they learn of what the will contains, they are pulled onto Caesar’s side.
Antony’s speech to the plebeians after the assassination of Caesar is a success on his part. He turns the plebeians against Brutus, Cassius, and the conspirators during his speech and has them revolt against them. His persuasive devices are used to their fullest and it pays off for Antony. In the end, Caesar is avenged by Antony, Octavius, their armies, and the plebeians. Brutus and Cassius are dead, the conspirators are either dead or imprisoned, and Rome can go back to a relative state of peace. If not for Antony’s brilliant speech, the conspirators might have escaped certain death and captivity. Sadly for them, history was not tailored that way and they are dead by now anyway.