Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis

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Emotions don’t lie, it has been shown by scientists that emotion is one of the strongest ways to persuade someone. In the play ‘The tragedy of Julius Caesar’ Mark Antony is shown as a close friend of Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus is seen as a friend of his too, however further down in the story it is seen that Brutus becomes jealous of Caesar for the power he now holds. So, he decides to kill Caesar in order to prevent him from becoming king of Rome. After this event occurs, Antony wants to get revenge on Marcus Brutus for killing Julius Caesar. This turns into an emotional rollercoaster for Mark Antony as in his funeral speech he goes back and forth that Marcus Brutus is a liar, but he should not be disrespected, and he expresses his grieve …show more content…

These persuasion routes Mark Antony takes makes the Romans agree with him faster and without question. Mark Antony persuaded the Romans by making them question their own beliefs towards Brutus. He gives multiple examples of things Marcus Brutus has said about Julius Caesar, such as calling him ambitious. Antony makes the audience further question their beliefs towards Brutus because he becomes indecisive that although Brutus is a liar, he is also an ‘honorable man’. There are multiple mentions of Brutus being called an honorable man, however there is one main quote where Antony both questions the audience and calls Brutus an honorable man. “You all did see that on the Lupercal 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 honorable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, but here I am to speak what I do know.” (Antony section 3). This quote shows sarcasm in the terms that Brutus is an ‘honorable man’. In this quote Antony also gives an example of Brutus calling Caesar ambitious although Caesar had never acted ambitious before, which makes the audience question what Brutus is saying about

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