Rhetorical Analysis Of Mark Antony's Speech

Julius Caesar’s death resulted from chaos amongst the people and throughout the city of Rome. In order to calm the Plebeians and provide them with a reasonable explanation for Caesar’s death, Brutus and Antony speak in attempt to ease their worrying and frustration. Along with the opportunity to have the last word, Antony turns against his word to Brutus and turns the Plebeians against the conspirators and their actions. Mark Antony’s speech effectively persuades the citizens to believe that the conspirators are traitors through emotional, ethical and logical (betrayal against Caesar by the conspirators) appeals.

After Caesar's death, all form of government fell apart. The citizens of Rome became violent, uncontrollable and curious and

frustrated as to why their much loved ruler had been killed. Although Brutus delivers a speech that explains the reasons why Caesar died in defense of the conspirators, Antony’s speech distorts the views and beliefs of the Plebeians and successfully turns them against the conspirators and their actions. With persuasion comes appeal, which Antony successfully uses to lead him to his personal triumph. A main reason for Antony’s successful betrayal occurs due to his emotional appeal within his speech. Although he vaguely touches on what Brutus had to say, Antony builds Caesar up, showing him as a good friend to him. He shows Caesar’s loyalty, and by saying this he shows his admiration for his friend in attempt to make the other citizens feel the same way. Along with praising Caesar and his accomplishments, Antony presents Caesar’s deceased body to the people in attempt to emotionally win them over. “Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar, and let me show you him that made the will” (III. II. 170-71). Antony toys with the Plebeians emotions by showing them the deceased leader for which they all once loved and admired. Shakespeare describes a vivid, morbid and chaotic scene for the reader to interpret during the viewing of the body. As Antony speaks, his descriptions of the stab wounds and the conspirators who inflicted them create a hostile and angry mood.
Not only does Mark Antony effectively use emotional appeal in convincing the Plebeians, he also uses ethical appeal to acheive his goal.

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!” (III.II.82). This shows that Mark Antony tries to get into the Roman crowd’s hearts with his status as a trustworthy man. Antony frequently uses rhetorical irony throughout his speech, constantly questioning the ethos of Brutus. He questions Brutus’s authority by calling him honorable, in order to get the public to think about whether or not Brutus really shows honor. Throughout Antony's speech, he repeats the line, "But Brutus is an honorable man" (III.II.91). The main point in repeating this line acts to undermine him and his character. Shakespeare also uses this specific repeated phrase as an example of irony. Though Antony refers to Brutus as honorable, he really can’t stand up to that statement considering he participated in the murder of his good friend Julius Caesar. As Antony is conversing with the Plebeians about the conspirators, he states, “I fear I wrong the honorable men Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. I do fear it ” (III.II.163-64). Through the fear that Antony expresses towards the conspirators and the contradiction between Brutus’s ideals and actions, this is what makes Brutus’s label as “honorable” so

ironic.
In order to successfully execute his plan, Antony had to use logical appeal to persuade the Plebeians. Mark Antony specifically uses logical appeal when he is reading the will of Caesar. He states, “To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man, seventy-five drachmas” (III.II.255-56). By reading the will and exemplifying the fact more that Caesar truly cared about the people, Antony creates tension and makes the Plebeians afflicted about Caesar's death. Through this specific logical appeal, Antony is showing that Caesar actually did have much consideration for the people and their well-being; considering he left them money and access to his private property. The generosity of Caesar expressed through the reading of his heavily influences the opinions of the Plebeians.
Mark Antony successfully convinces the people of Rome to turn against the conspirators through emotional, ethical and logical appeals. Between the revealing of Caesar's body, the reading of his will and the accusations against Brutus, Antony was successfully able to execute his desired intentions.