Rhetorical Techniques in Persuasive Speeches

Over time, speakers have developed different ways of manipulating their speech in a way which can persuade the reader or audience to side with their specific claim. This can be accomplished in many ways, commonly with the use of rhetoric. Within three speeches given by Antony and Brutus, fictional characters from Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, as well as Winston Churchill, the British prime minister during World War II, all of the speakers use ethos, logos, and pathos, forms of rhetoric, to persuade the audiences they are speaking to. Marc Antony made nearly exclusive use of the persuasive method of pathos, trying to cause a change to people’s emotions, but he also used the method of ethos, making people think that his way was correct

Marc Antony was a loyal friend of Caesar and only saw the best in both him and his actions. Antony did not find Caesar a threat to Rome but felt Caesar had much to offer Rome. He exercises strategies of ethos and pathos as well as persuasion and strategy which present themselves in his response to Caesar’s death. Antony proceeds to disprove Brutus’ declaration of Caesar’s ambition by giving three examples on why Caesar was not ambitious. Antony shares the three examples "[Caesar] brought many captives home to Rome…[when] the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept…presented him a kingly crown [which] he thrice refuse " (Shakespeare 112). By presenting these examples to the Roman people, Antony brings forth their old memories and past experiences with Caesar forcing them to reevaluate Brutus’ motives. His repetition of referring to Brutus and the other conspirators as honorable men demonstrates mechanics such as reverse psychology used to coerce Roman citizens in procuring revenge through the conspirators. Additionally, the use of pathos is directly evident within Antony’s utilization of greed among citizens when he declares “I found it in his closet, ‘tis his will...It will inflame you…’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs”(Shakespeare 116). Antony implies Caesar’s will contains information concerning the citizens which is of enough importance that they will grow

Throughout the speech, Churchill uses various forms of language within his speech in order to appeal to the audience and grasp their attention. Churchill also shares similarities to the speeches of Brutus and Antony through his various forms of language used. Logic, from the , is displayed throughout Churchill's speech, with statements such as, “We are fighting to save the whole world from the pestilence of Nazi tyranny and in defense of all that is most sacred to man” (1). By stating the reason for the importance of war, Churchill is able to persuade the audience Britain’s decision to join the war as correct. Furthermore, Churchill appeals to emotion, the language form of pathos, which is presented in the statement, “... there is a generation of Britons here now ready to prove itself not unworthy of the days of yore and not unworthy of those great men, the fathers of our land, who laid the foundations of our laws and shaped the greatness of country” (1). The emotions of nationalism and patriotism are designated to exemplify what a Briton would feel towards Britain, doing so Churchill continues to motivate the audience to join Britain in war and support their country’s decision of war. Lastly, Churchill establishes trust within his speech, through the form of ethos, giving him the ability to further convince the audience. Trust is shown in the