In Scene 2 of Act 3 in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, two speeches are given by characters Brutus and Mark Antony. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, the characters Brutus and Mark Antony give very similar, yet very different speeches about the future of Rome, and why Caesar was killed. This essay will compare and contrast those speeches, and connect them to the conclusion of Shakespeare's play.
Brutus' speech appeals to logos, or logic. He argues that if Caesar lived, no slave would have been free. Brutus states "Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?"(1398, Act 3 scene 2). Caesar's tyranny was costing Rome its' freedom and Brutus knew that. He cared for Caesar but cared for Rome and its' future more. Logically, Brutus knows that if Caesar's
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Brutus spoke of Caesar as his friend who was too ambitious for his own good, while Antony questioned Brutus' words and made everyone else consider his words too. Brutus explains "As Caesar loved me, I weep for him." Brutus still considered Caesar a friend and is distraught by his death. But he also knew Caesar was too powerful for his own good and could only be stopped by one way. In Antony's speech, he exclaims "He was my friend, faithful and just to me." Caesar loved Antony as a good friend, which leaves Antony unsure of his real nature. He does not know whether to believe Brutus' claims of his ambition or not.
In conclusion, Shakespeare used pathos and logos to contrast both Brutus and Antony's speeches concerning Caesars life and death. Brutus uses an appeal to logic to explain how corrupt Caesar was and power hungry. Mark Antony uses emotion to appeal to his audience, speaking of Caesar as his friend and being distraught from his assassination. Both speeches talk of Caesar and how much of a friend he was to the