Why Marc Antony is a Round Character

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Recommended: Shakespeare's Presentation of the Character of Mark Antony in 'Julius Caesar' Katya Hills essays

William Shakespeare wonderfully develops the character Marc Antony in his play Julius Caesar to be a round character. Round characters meaning a character that has many traits and isn’t predictable. Antony, who seems to not have many different traits at the beginning of Julius Caesar, really starts showing his real self after Caesar’s death. That also shows that he is unpredictable.
Antony’s monologues and soliloquies really help to show readers Antony as a round character. A few traits these soliloquies and monologues show are that he is manipulative and smart, yet also caring and loving. Other traits Antony shows include agreeable, but capable of being in charge; athletic; popular; and able to give recognition where it is deserved. Like most people, Antony has both bad and good traits, and his speeches reflect that.
The manipulative nature of Antony proves true two times. The first time is when Antony is speaking at Caesar’s funeral. Antony is manipulating the crowd by using pauses and by talking Brutus up. This is what Antony says in that instance, “Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; and Brutus is an honorable man.” (Act III, scene ii, lines 94-95) Antony is saying maybe Brutus is right because he says Caesar was ambitious, and Brutus is, in fact, a very honorable man. In another instance he says, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it,” speaking of Caesar’s will. (Act III, scene ii, line 141) Antony is trying to get the people excited about the will, so they will tell him to read it by acting like he shouldn’t read it. The second time Antony shows that he is manipulative when he wants to change Caesar’s will. At that time Antony proves himself by saying, “But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house; Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine how to cut off some charge in legacies.” (Act IV, scene I, lines 7-9) Antony is telling Lepidus to go get the will so they can change it. Antony’s ability to be manipulative is well proven in these instances.
The loving side of Antony that allows him to give recognition where it is deserved is shown a few times. One time comes close after Caesar’s death. Antony says, “Thou art the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of the times,” and it shows his love for Caesar by saying that the noblest man he ever knew was now dead.

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