Julius Caesar Essay: Anthony's Speech Breakdown

Julius Caesar: Anthony’s speech breakdown
In the drama, Julius Caesar, Shakespeare uses multiple literary devices to capture the true meaning of Anthony’s speech.
In Antony’s Speech, he begins with “Friends, Romans, countrymen…” (Act III, Scene ii Line 70) Shakespeare uses this string of words to run parallel to Brutus opening phrase “Romans, Countryman, lovers…” (Act III, Scene ii Line 13) By doing this, it is clear that by Antony referring to “friends” First, he intends to take a more emotional route, and to speak from his heart to the people of Rome. Brutus begins with “romans”, allows the reader to understand that he intends to take a route that allows him to win over the Romans with reason. Antony’s start foreshadows how the rest of his speech will play out. Continuing this, Antony then goes on to use the ironic phrase “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” (Act III, Scene ii Line 71) Despite what Anthony says, his true intention is to turn the People of Rome against the conspirators.

Many times throughout the passage, clues are given to try to clue the audience that the murder had occurred for more reasons than they had previously thought.

The first example is when Anthony states that he was only able to speak at the funeral “under the leave of Brutus and the rest” (Act III, Scene ii Line 78), which allows the group of Romans to infer that Brutus was now in control of Rome, and it is then questionable whether Caesar was killed for the reasons the conspirators’ had originally stated, or if was only done out of jealousy and crave for power. Anthony then alludes to Brutus’ speech by using the idea from Brutus’ speech that Caesar was an ambitious man. Brutus used this phrase to support his reasons for killing Caesar. Anthony then mocks Brutus, and uses it against

him.
Anthony’s use of Caesar’s body as a prop and the way in which he spoke allowed the audience to see what the conspirators had done in a new light. Anthony shares that Caesar was “[his] friend, faithful and just to [him]” (Act III, Scene ii Line 82) by doing this, he makes the conspirators’ out to be the enemies. Shakespeare uses diction to ignite the audience’s humanity, and think about what had been done. By using choice words, the speech takes on mourning tone and paints Anthony as a victim. Anthony uses what he knows about the peoples love for Caesar against them in order to gain their trust. Furthermore, Anthony is able to ‘out-do’ Brutus in the guilt department.
Finally, Shakespeare uses repetition to get the main point of his speech across. When referring to the conspirators, Anthony always makes the same remark, stating that they are “honorable” (Act III, Scene ii Line 91) by reusing the word multiple times, it takes on a sarcastic tone, and is presumed to be yet another of Brutus’ attempts to be perceived as a liberator. Anthony uses the statement, just after proving that Brutus’ excuses don’t quite all add up.
In conclusion, Shakespeare uses a large collection of rhetorical devices in order gain the audiences’ support for Anthony, and to turn them against the conspirator.