Never Trust Anyone. When a ruler dies, or in this case gets assassinated, many desire power of the throne, which can bring extreme attempts to manipulate the people for this position. With Julius Caesar being fatally stabbed in the back, the attempt to rise to power is evident in Act III, scene ii of William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. This scene of the play, shows two eulogy speeches revolving the death of Caesar, spoken by Brutus and Antony. Brutus being the head of many to kill Caesar, and Antony being a dear friend to Caesar. Brutus speaks out attempting to defend and justify his actions along with the desire to bring the people of Rome to his side. While Antony brings forward subtle contradictions towards the killers, and critical …show more content…
Brutus claims that this death will only bring more success and victory to this empire. Brutus wants the people to believe he only wanted the best for the people and attempts to back this statement up by saying, BRUTUS. Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Shakespeare 3.2 20-21. This statement proves that Brutus is a shallow, dark, and evil man following his actions. However, some people support the idea of Caesar being the sacrifice needed for a great empire. Antony quickly shuts this idea down in the audience's minds by delivering an extensive persuasive speech over Brutus’s oration. Antony desires to prove and engage with the audience how the assassination of Caesar was morally wrong, and he does this through the rhetorical device of erotema. Antony’s use of erotema can be seen when he asks, ANTONY. I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he thrice refused: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious (Shakespeare 3.2, 96-98). This question faces Brutus’ claimed justification for the killing of Caesar. The crowd is now forced to question this crime committed, and if it was truly Brutus’ idea of being the best for the
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
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
“Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” (3.2.24) This quote reflects the motive of Brutus for the assassination of his friend, Caesar. I believe Brutus killed him not out of disrespect, but in a selfless act to protect Rome from the decree of Caesar yet to come. I also believe that he did this out of force from the manipulation from his “friend” Cassius. In Shakespeare's “Julius Caesar”, Brutus’ two most significant characteristics are virtue and unconscious hypocrisy. In order to fully understand these characteristics, it is necessary to analyze all other contributing characteristics, the manipulation of friendship that Cassius uses against him, and the motivations for
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
Each ruler of Rome seemed to have made poor decisions, and this is exactly what occurred with Brutus. Brutus became very naïve. All of the conspirators confronted Brutus with the idea of killing Mark Antony. They believed he would continue Caesar’s legacy but Brutus thought differently. Brutus added, “And for Mark Antony, think not of him, for he can do no more than Caesar’s arm” (Shakespeare, 24). He proposed that Antony was too weak for them to worry about while this was actually what brought about his fall. When the murder of Caesar had concluded, Antony wished to speak in honor of Caesar. Brutus agreed with the idea but Cassius was hesitant. Cassius insulted, “You know not what you do. Do not consent that Antony speak in his funeral. Know you how much the people may be moved by that which he will utter” (Shakespeare, 44). Cassius feared that Antony’s persuasive speech would turn the citizens against the conspirators. Brutus continued to ignore Cassius’s warning, but was proven wrong immediately. The locals were influenced by Antony and led an angered march to end the conspirators. Brutus caused their arrangement to fail by lack of
Brutus has a clear and concise argument that depicts the logical tendency of his thinking. Antony's argument is the foil of Brutus's, kindling the crowd's anger by constantly letting his emotions push his speech forward. But just as fire can offer warmth during chilling times, it can also cause severe damage. Because of Antony's speech, an innocent poet was killed and Rome was almost destroyed. Brutus managed to take a group of passionate, outraged people and calm them enough to see the reasoning in Caesar's murder. He went to great lengths with the techniques of ethos, parallelism/repetition, and logos to help others look forward into a promising future without Caesar. And though the crowd chose differently, from these aspects one can conclude Brutus had the superior speech.
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.
The final piece used to persuade the crowd is Pathos, Both Antony and Brutus use this to talk about Caesar’s death. Antony says. ‘’Come I speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious;’’ while Brutus says ‘’as Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. ‘’ With this they are both saying he is a good, but Brutus is also trying to say that even though he killed Caesar he loved him, but I was something that had to be
Phillip Pullman, a British author, once wrote, “I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are”(goodreads.com). Pullman’s quotation on the actions of man being the source of good and evil closely relate to morality, principles regarding the distinction of right and wrong or a person’s values. The question of what human morality truly is has been pondered by philosophers, common folk, and writers for thousands of years. However, sometimes a person’s ethics are unclear; he or she are not wholly good or bad but, rather, morally ambiguous. William Shakespeare, an English playwrite, heavily presses the topic moral ambiguity in his play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. The titular character, Julius Caesar, is a morally equivocal character who serves a major purpose in the play.
In front of the people of Rome at Caesar’s funeral whilst giving his speech, Antony makes up Brutus to up to be this honorable and noble man, nonetheless Brutus is one of the conspirators who ended Caesar’s life. Caesar has been slain by, Trebonius, Cinna, Cassius, Brutus, Ligarius, Decius, Metellus and Casca. All because most had felt that he was too ambitious for their liking, Cassius has manipulated each one of them into committing the crime alongside him. Once Caesar is killed, Brutus delivers his speech, saying, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”(lll.ii.20). Basically just trying to justify the reason he helped to kill one of the most loved Romans in all of Rome. Antony then comes out and begins his speech at Caesar’s
In William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, two speeches are given to the people of Rome about Caesar's death. In Act 3, Scene 2 of this play Brutus and Antony both try to sway the minds of the Romans toward their views. Brutus tried to make the people believe he killed Caesar for a noble cause. Antony tried to persuade the people that the conspirators committed an act of brutality toward Caesar and were traitors. The effectiveness and ineffectiveness of both Antony's and Brutus's speech to the people are conveyed through tone and rhetorical devices.
In William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar, Caesar is assassinated, and the city of Rome becomes enraged, demanding the death of the conspirators that murdered him. Brutus, one of the main assassins, talks to the mob and persuades them to understand that they are at an advantage without Caesar, the tyrant, as the dictator of Rome. He then leaves Mark Antony, who has meticulous orders to not try to pin the murder on the conspirators’ selfishness, but can speak numerous praises about his superior. Mark Antony then speaks to the persuaded crowd about Caesar’s endeavors and the benefits that Caesar gave to the kingdom, giving everything that was necessary and more. Mark Antony’s speech riles the citizens of Rome to mutiny without actually revealing his personal intentions of wishing to do so. In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Mark Antony’s speech is more persuasive that Brutus’ speech
Brutus recognizes that the “enemies have beat [Brutus and the conspirators].. to a pit” and believes it is honorable “to leap in” themselves “than tarry till” the enemies force them (5.5.23-25). Hence, Brutus requests his servant to assist him in committing suicide and finally utters “Caesar, now be still / I kill’d not thee with half so good a will” (5.5.50-51). Brutus’s action exhibits his understanding of the killing of Caesar, and now views it as irreparable. Furthermore, Brutus takes notice of the fights and unending deaths around him all due to his naivety and failure to judge people’s evil side. As a result, Brutus views suicide as the most appropriate “method” to retain his honor and dignity; otherwise, he would have to encounter the Roman citizens’ criticization and would be humiliated for his actions. In addition, Brutus requests Caesar to be done with his vengeance and to forgive him as he acts solely for the best of Rome, displaying Brutus to be a tragic hero who failed doing his best for good. Furthermore, the play ends with Antony’s summary of Brutus’s character leaving the audience to characterize Brutus to be the one who suffered the most and died in a tragic way. Antony describes Brutus to be “the noblest Roman of them all…/ [and have acted] only in a general
Brutus’ speech at Caesar’s funeral is said in order the people of Rome, to better understand why the blood of Caesar was spilt. “Only be patient till we have appeased the multitude, beside themselves with fear” (74). Brutus realizes that the assassination would not look good in the eyes of the civilians; until explained. “Our reasons are so full of good regard that were you, Antony, the son of Caesar, you should be satisfied” (76). He truly believes that what was done, had to be done, for the good of Rome.
In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice there is a palpable hatred between the Jewish moneylender Shylock and the privileged prodigal Christians Bassanio, Lorenzo, Antonio, Gratiano and Portia. History shows that Jews have long been persecuted and despised for not accepting Christianity, Islam or other religions of the majority as their own. Yet choice of religion is not the cause for the two cultures abhorrence. Their detestation is much more deep-rooted; it stems from their antithetical cultural beliefs. Shakespeare depicts lifestyles; morals and values that completely oppose each other, the very natures of his Christian characters cancel Shylock’s defining characteristics. The closed-off, cautious, restrained, simple, lonely man is thrust into the social, extravagant, spendthrift world of Christianity. Disliked as much for his skinflint profession and bare life style as he is for his religion, he is a stranger in a society that contradicts everything he feels and believes.