Emotion Over Reason In Julius Caesar

615 Words3 Pages

Brutus, a loyal, murderous, and honorable friend to Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony, a well-loved server and friend to Caesar as well, both verbally battle it out through speech during Caesar's funeral to win during the hearts of Rome. As one puts reason over emotion, the other puts emotion over reason. Mark Antony's strong feelings for Caesar move the Romans deeply, placing much emphasis on how Brutus' guilt and stoicism for the death of Caesar is not enough.

Caesar is spoken highly of and acknowledged as a friend by both Caesar and Brutus. As Brutus says, "As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he was valiant, I honor him," Mark Antony mentions how "[w]hen that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept". As Brutus says, "If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his," Mark Antony states "Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me." This is only the beginning which has already tied the competition. All Romans agree, Caesar was fortunate and valiant, as well as compassionate and empathetic. He was also a great friend to all. With that being said, because all Romans agree with this fact, it …show more content…

While standing over Caesar's dead corpse, he softly cries out, "Bear with me. My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, [a]nd I must pause till it come back to me." This is Mark Antony connecting to the feelings of the Romans. Their hearts too are trapped within Caesar's coffin, and relatability is the best way to connect with anyone. Although Brutus has his reason for killing Caesar, his appeal to Logos, another rhetorical device, is actually a logical fallacy because the matter of "fact" that Caesar was an ambitious tyrant was no fact, but only an opinion in which not many had concurred