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Shakespeare julius caesar character analysis
Rhetorical Strategies and Analysis
Rhetorical analysis 4 pages essay
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Rhetoric is an effective tool used to create persuasive speech in verbal or written communication. This strategy is commonly used among authors and makes a strong appearance in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The most outstanding example in Julius Caesar was a convincing speech performed by Marc Antony, the strongest rhetorician, speaking to the commoners of Rome in an attempt to influence them to support his opinions on the specific cause involving Caesar’s death. Julius Caesar is a play with a surplus of rhetoricians, conspirators, and liars. Specifically, Marc Antony shows his talent in persuasion and manipulation through a speech delivered to the Romans. He takes advantage of the flexible minds of the plebeians to tell them …show more content…
who Julius Caesar was, not the image that was created of him by Brutus, Caesar’s advisor. After Caesar’s death, Anthony expresses to the plebeians, “When the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man.(Act 3, Scene 2, Line 1635)” He reminds these Romans of how empathetic and compassionate Caesar was, while also contradicting Brutus simultaneously. Through his actions, Antony persuades the Roman people into believing his personal opinion on Caesar. Antony’s rhetoric inspired the plebeians to believe Caesar was respectable and honorable. This caused a fervor amongst the plebeians, sending them into supporting what Marc Antony had to say. Antony continues to remind the plebeians of their forgotten love for Caesar and of the three rejections he gave to the crown offered to him.
“I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable man (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 1640).” Listening to this, the plebeians are realizing how Caesar didn’t abuse his power, but instead took into consideration the importance of the Roman republic and its people. Caesar wanted consistency, if that’s what it took to have a successful future for Rome. By refusing the crown, Caesar gained popularity among the commoners, who were in support for the Roman …show more content…
republic Now, Antony has successfully used his strong rhetoric to remind the plebeians of the love Caesar had for them and for their country. The Roman community begins to side with Antony and notice the wrong Brutus and his conspirators have done. The plebeians start to talk of mutiny and mocking the idea of Brutus being an “honourable man.” A Roman shouts into the crowd, “They were traitors: honourable men!(Act 3, Scene 2, Line 1698)” Antony’s persuasion had worked and the commoners had begun to admonish to conspirators and their wrongdoings .After listening to Antony’s speech, the Romans disagreed with the actions of Brutus and the conspirators, and adopted Antony’s beliefs as their own. Antony continues to perform his exceptional rhetoric by mentioning Caesar’s will.
Before reading Caesar’s words to the plebeians, he expressed the following words to the citizens of Rome: “It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men; And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar, It will inflame you, it will make you mad: ‘Tis good you know not that you are his heirs.(Act 3, Scene 2, Line 1687)” Hearing this, the plebeians’ interest in the will grew more, creating a strong desire to hear Caesar’s words. The will announced that every family in Rome will receive enough money for comfortable financial support for three months. Marc Antony used this will as a tool and a resource to show more ways that Julius Caesar admired the people of Rome. Using his strong rhetorical language, Antony was able to persuade the Romans into revolting against the conspirators. This just shows how strong of a rhetorician Antony truly is. Marc Antony used the skill of rhetoric to persuade a community of people to support him and his cause. Reminding the people of Rome of the kindness of Julius Caesar allows them to once again feel the love they felt for one of their greatest leaders. Using his rhetoric, Antony was able to convince the group of plebeians that Caesar was different from what Brutus described, causing them to follow Antony and refuse to accept what the Brutus and the conspirators had
done. Brutus described Caesar as ambitious, while Antony described him as too empathetic to be labeled as ambitious . Antony mentioned to the plebeians that Caesar refused the kingly crown three times because of his love for Rome. This led the Romans to believe Caesar was as selfless as to refuse power because of the love he had for his country, which reminded the Romans that Caesar was a senator who thought his purpose was greater than his life. After exposing the plebeians to this, their opinions followed Antony’s and they disagreed with what Brutus had to say. Using rhetoric, Antony had managed to change the minds of a great number of people and gained support on his opinion. At the end of his speech, Antony read Caesar’s will; allowing the Roman people to hear what Caesar had to say before his death, they felt as though what Antony had to say was right, and followed him. Antony had successfully persuaded the commoners of Rome simply using rhetoric. Although this speech is only a portion of the play Julius Caesar, it shows the great capabilities of Marc Antony’s persuasive and rhetorical language. Rhetoric is a useful tool for many influential speakers in debates, and speeches. It can create the opportunity to change people's minds and convince others to think in an alternative way. Rhetorical language makes its strongest appearance in Marc Antony’s speech in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Marc Antony proves to be the most influential speaker in Julius Caesar and uses the most rhetoric in his speeches. Rhetoric is a powerful tool that has been used by many authors throughout history, especially Shakespeare in his tragedy Julius Caesar,
...losing of his speech, where Antony outlines Caesar’s generous will to Rome. It is an appeal to the greedy side of the audience, who want to get something out of his death. While it does help to dissuade anybody else from supporting Brutus, it also stands to further persuade the listeners that Caesar was a good man who did not deserve his fate.
In the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, Brutus and Antony both display their sides of Caesar in hopes of getting the Plebeians to support them. Mark Antony, a friend of Caesars, effectively persuades the crowd that the conspirators are traitors rather than heroes while technically keeping his promise to avoid saying anything negative about them. Antony convinced the mob that Caesar cared for the common people by manipulating the definition of the words “honorable” and “ambitious,” and using props, thereby delivering the more effective speech in the end.
Antony had a will in his hand that he was willing to show to the people of rome that Caesar wasn’t ambitious. In the will it said that to every Roman citizen he gave seventy-five drachmas which was true and it persuaded the crowd how Caesar all his money to them. Antony also talked about how he presented Caesar a kingly crown and how he refused it three times and asking if refusing the crown was ambition. Using these facts the people then realised that if Caesar wanted he could have become king but instead refused making people even more sure that Brutus was wrong in saying that Caesar was
Antony also played on the people’s greed, to influence them to his side. “I found it in his closet; ‘tis his will/and they would go kiss Caesar’s dead wounds…” (III, ii, 129, 132-133). Antony is very smart in the way he does this. He knows how to talk to the people to get them to believe his side of the story and revenge Caesar’s death. Likewise, Antony is conniving. He uses this strength by flattering Brutus, and falsely befriending the conspirators into letting him speak at Caesar’s funeral. “I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand.” (III, i, 200-201). Antony presents his case in such a way that Brutus and the other conspirators think that he is on their side, when in fact he really is going to turn the common people against them to revenge Caesar’s death by creating a war. Furthermore, Brutus is an honorable man giving him the chance to be a great leader. Brutus is an idealist man, who is optimistic about assassinating Caesar. “Grant that, and then is death a benefit. So are we Caesar’s f...
Caesar also used a form of rhetoric when accepting the crown after the race. When Antony won, he was given a circlet that he then offered to Caesar in honor of him. Caesar first rejected the crown by gently pushing it away. The people wanted Caesar to take the crown which is seen when the “rabblement hooted and clapped their chapped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps” (I. ii. 243-244). Caesar then rejected it two more times after the first. Each time the audience grew more excited than before. As Casca had said that Caesar clearly wanted to take the crown because he was looked reluctant to reject the crown and it seemed as if he didn’t want to take his hands off it (I. ii. 241-242). It may seem curious that Caesar rejected something that he wanted. He was doing this on purpose as a form of persuasion to have people respect him and cheer for him more. It is seen throughout the play that the Roman people can be persuaded easily because they are indecisive and have others think for them. When he rejected the crown, it made Caesar seem more humble and sincere than before. Some may think this as a noble act and others cheered for Caesar even more. This form of persuasion is pathos because he’s wanting the people to feel that he is respectable and will be a good leader. Caesar wants the people to make him a dictator and this would help push his agenda and gain
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 Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Antony’s funeral oration contains several elements of deceit, yet wholeheartedly appeals to the desires of the audience. Antony harnesses the power of words, his rhetorical strategies stirring emotions, altering opinions and inducing action. His impulsive, improvisatory nature allows him to persuade the plebeians of the conspirators’ injustice, yet he never acknowledges this behaviour, allowing him to gain the masses’ political support. The mentioning of the will also accentuates the credulous nature of the audience as their desire to be satisfied allows Antony to manipulate their emotions, eventually resulting in several anecdotes appealing to the audience’s pathos yet still incorporating elements of deception.
Antony’s persuasion is subtle and comes about through his diction and use of rhetorical questions in his speech at Caesar’s funeral. Antony chooses his diction carefully and uses it to influence the thoughts and answers of the masses at the funeral. The use of rhetorical questions directs the minds of the plebeians, not only to see the good in Caesar, however to see the bad in the conspirators who are referred to as ‘honourable men’ (Shakespeare, et al., 2015). Antony repeats the phrase ‘honourable men’ (Shakespeare, et al., 2015). By repeating ‘honourable men’ (Shakespeare, et al., 2015) the importance and significance of the phrase is being slowing lost, and towards the end becomes a cliché. Antony carefully places this phrase alongside the wrongs of the conspirators. ‘I fear I wrong the honourable men whose daggers have stabb’d Caesar’ (Shakespeare, et al., 2015). This statement influences how the plebeians view the conspirators and they start calling them ‘traitors’, ‘villains’ and ‘murderers’ (Shakespeare, et al., 2015). Through the speech, Antony is able to influence the plebeians to avenge the death of Caesar and to follow Antony into battle against the
Unlike Brutus, Antony had a lot of strong pathos points such as , “For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel,/ Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him! (3,2,193) When Antony said this, he did not directly say anything bad about the conspirators, this influences the plebeians to feel sympathetic towards Caesar and possibly somewhat, resentful towards Brutus and his accomplices. Antony is able to show his sympathy and he was able to get the conspirators to feel sympathy. Brutus was not able to manipulate the individuals in the same was as Antony. Antony was also able to use ethos as well as Brutus did. Just like Brutus, Antony was able to connect to the individuals by starting out his speech with, “Friends, Romans and countrymen…’ (3,1,82) Here he is showing them that he’s a common person. Brutus uses mostly ethos, this shows that he is straight to the point. But with Antony, he makes people think like when he says, “He hath brought many captives home to Rome,/ Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill./ Did this in Caesar seem ambition? (3,1,97) Mark Antony’s speech was more persuasive than Brutus’ simply because Brutus was only trying to persuade the audience that killing caesar was the right thing to do. Antony’s
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
“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
Various characters throughout the story use rhetoric appeals to persuade others. Persuasion is used very effectively when Anthony addresses a speech to the citizens of Rome. He manipulates the crowd and uses persuasion effectively and he shows the use of irony to turn the crowd against Brutus and the conspirators. Antony states “He was my friend, faithful and just to me (III.ii.82–96)” ).Through this statement, he had grasped the audiences’ attention as this statement states Antony’s close relationship with Caesar. Antony later states “But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man…When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath...
The speech made by Marcus Antonius, called Antony, in Act Three, Scene Two of Julius Caesar shows that despite being considered a sportsman above all else, he is highly skilled with the art of oratory as well. In the play by William Shakespeare, this speech is made at the funeral of Caesar after he is killed by Brutus and the other conspirators. Brutus claimed earlier, in his own funeral speech, that the killing of Caesar was justified. He felt that Caesar was a threat, and too ambitious to be allowed as ruler. Much of this sentiment, however, was developed by the treacherous Cassius. Antony, on the other hand, felt that the conspirators were traitors to Rome and should be dealt with. This speech used a variety of methods to gradually bring the crowd to his side, yet maintain his side of the deal with Brutus. This deal was that he, “shall not in your funeral speech blame us...” (3.1.245) for the death of Caesar. Antony holds his end of the deal for the majority of the speech, yet by doing so convinces the crowd of Brutus' and the others' disloyalty. In many ways, this speech can be seen as the ultimate rhetoric, and it includes all three of Aristotle's methods of persuasion. This are the appeal to credibility, called ethos, the appeal to emotions, called pathos, and the appeal to logic, called logos. All three of these devices are used to great effect during the speech of Marcus Antonius.
However, different rhetorical devices were used in diverse ways in order for each to have an effect on the people of Rome. While Brutus uses logic to convince them that he and the conspirators did a good deed by killing Caesar, Mark Antony, through emotion, sways them to believe that Caesar did not deserve to die. Each of them had their own objectives to giving their speeches, each had selfish motivations. Although both speeches were persuasive, Mark Antony’s was most effective because he could identify with the audience and he spoke with passion. The audience respected Brutus but Mark Antony was one of their own. It could be said, Brutus made a huge mistake by allowing Antony to speak at Caesar’s