Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. Tt is the way people sway their audience into taking action. Using this idea is beneficial to any one who wants power, or control over their audience. It is used worldwide, in books, plays, and speeches. Rhetoric has been around for ages, it was even used in the bible, however at the time it had no name. Aristotle was the man who defined it. He understood the power of words, and decided to categorize rhetoric into three parts. These three parts are logos, ethos, and pathos. Shakespeare understood this idea quite well, you can see how shakespeare used rhetoric in his play ¨Julius Caesar.¨ He used rhetoric by putting ideas into people’s heads by using their emotions. In Mark Antony’s speech you can see the

three parts of rhetoric for Caesar’s death. He uses logos, ethos, and pathos in his efforts to move the people to take action and punish the senators.
Ethos is an argument based on character.

Shakespeare uses this in Mark Antonyś speech when he said ¨He was my friend, faithful and just to me.¨(Shakespeare 3. 2. 84). He was telling the people why they should listen to him. He was saying they were friends, he knew Caesar better than anyone. Antony was using ethos in order to put liability to his words, giving them a reason to trust him. Telling the people about his friendship with Caesar got the respect of some, but to gain the others trust he tells them about his association with the senators. He says ¨Here under leave of brutus and the rest/ For Brutus is an honorable man.¨(Shakespeare 3. 2. 82-83) He is telling them he respects the senators, although he did not. He was gaining control over the crowd. Without these reasons to trust Antony, many of the people would have left. He knew if he did not grab their attention in the beginning he would not grab it at

all.
Logos is an argument based on facts. Shakespeare uses this in by having Antony state the reasons they should revolt. He says ¨He hath brought many captives home to Rome/ Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.¨ he is stating all the good deeds he did for Rome and the citizens. They had just been convinced by Brutus that Caesar was going to be a tyrant to Rome, that he didn't care for the people. Antony takes this in the opposite direction by reminding the crowd all the good he had done. He gets them to love Ceasar again, he moves them to respect is memory. This eventually leads to a revolt against the senators. Brutus had just finished telling them that Caesar was planning to make them his slaves. Where as, Antony reminds them of the slaves Caesar brought home for them home for them. The Logos in this speech is used to disprove all the things Brutus had said. He takes the reasons Brutus gave the people to be supportive of the senators and twists them to make Caesar seem like fallen hero.
Pathos is an argument based and feeling and emotion.

Shakespeare uses in the speech a good deal. He uses it first by telling how good of friends he and Caesar were, this was an attention grabber because it made the people realize that the senators didn't love Caesar like Antony did. They saw that he was mourning. He then told them that Caesar wept for them. He tells them this so they know, not only did they love Caesar, but Caesar loved them. The place you see pathos the most is at the end of Antony’s speech. He said “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar/ And I must pause till it come back to me.” (Shakespeare 3.2. 105-06)This is when the action begins. They see why Anatomy is mourning his friend, they remember their love for Caesar and decide to avenge his death. They are filled with so much emotion that they riot, and it leads them to kill with no

reason.
Rhetoric is a very powerful thing when used properly. It can also be destructive when used incorrectly. If you used logos, ethos, or pathos without each other than it can cause a person to act out of character. Together they can move people to do the right thing, they can be a helpful tool. Antony used pathos more than the others, the effect is the death of an innocent man. Brutus on the other hand used more logos, and because of that they were easily swayed by Antony. It is a difficult art, but once the idea of rhetoric is mastered it can be very beneficial. I would encourage everyone to study and learn the art of speech and persuasion.