ipl-logo

How Does Marc Antony Use Ethos In Julius Caesar

598 Words3 Pages

The philosopher Plato once said, “Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.” It is language that is designed for persuasion. Plato claims this because good rhetoric gives man the power to influence others. For centuries, great leaders and politicians have used it to convince and govern their people. One of the most famous examples is Marc Antony’s funeral speech in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. This story is about Julius Caesar, who was slain by his friends after receiving control of Rome. Marc Antony uses rhetorical strategies such as repetition and irony along with the appeals ethos, pathos, and logos to sway the people of Rome. Julius Caesar was murdered by conspirators that wished to remove him from power. These men needed to show the citizens of Rome why they killed Caesar. If not, the conspirators would pay dearly for their crime. The leader of these men, Brutus, spoke to the crowds and convinced them that they executed Caesar for the good of Rome. Brutus tells the crowd, “I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I / have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death” (III.ii.39-41). Brutus has the crowd on his side, and then departs to allow Antony to speak. Brutus mistakenly believes that Antony is on his side. However, he is actually one of Caesar’s closest friends and would …show more content…

For example, when speaking to the crowd he repeats the phrase, “But Brutus says he was ambitious” (III.ii.83). Each time after saying this, Antony describes an honorable trait of Caesar. He does this to undermine Brutus’ argument. In addition, he also repeats the phrase “Brutus is an honorable man” (III.ii.84). He declares this numerous times so that it will stick in the minds of his audience. This emphasis of “honorable” causes the people to question if it is true. Simple repetition can be very effective. Repetition is “the top strategy of every master persuader” (Romm

Show More
Related
999 Words | 4 Pages

Jay Heinrichs unveils the hidden truths that we often overlook, in Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach us About the Art of Persuasion, allowing you to liberate your mind to the wonders our rhetorical world offers. This informative piece works on reintroducing the 3,000 year old art throughout the nation- being taught in elite schools. From the witty, realistic scenarios he presents, we are able to visualize the hundreds of rhetoric tools that date back to Cicero and Aristotle. By providing examples from personal experiences, political figures, celebrities, and even hypothetical situations we could encounter- we are allowed to truly see how persuasion is and can be implemented into everyday life. Heinrichs

Read More
979 Words | 4 Pages

(3.2.101-4). His dramatics demonstrate to the crowd how they should feel, and they follow suit. Once the crowd feels sentimental about Caesar’s death, Antony commences his process of enraging them. While revealing Caesar’s dead body, Antony utilizes loaded language to demonize the actions of the conspirators, Brutus in particular. He claims, “Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed; /

Read More
766 Words | 4 Pages

In Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, portrays the assassination of Roman ruler Julius Caesar, the aftermath of his death and the eventual death of the assassins, including Brutus and Cassius. In Act 1, Scene 2, funeral speeches are being given by Mark Anthony and Marcus Brutus after Caesar’s death; although Brutus’ use of ethos was more compelling than Anthony’s, ultimately Anthony’s speech was more persuasive than Brutus’ because of his impressive use of pathos and logos. One type of rhetorical strategy used in speeches and discussion is ethos, or an appeal to ethics. Brutus uses ethos for the majority of his arguments. An example of this is at the very end of his speech.

Read More
731 Words | 3 Pages

He would interrogate the group and this made them consider what he was talking about. When proving that Caesar was not ambitious, Antony gave many examples of things Caesar believed to prove that he was clearly not ambitious like Brutus had argued. For example, Antony would mention something Caesar did and then follow with the question, “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” Using repetition of the word ambitious throughout the speech made the Romans think about all the examples Antony gave to disprove Brutus. Next, throughout the entirety of his speech, he mentioned the phrase, “For Brutus is an honourable man; so are they all, all honourable men?”

Read More
736 Words | 3 Pages

This is ethos. He doesn't just come right out and say, no, Brutus is wrong. he's trying to create this argument so the people come to that conclusion on their own. He says, "Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man." (Act 3.2)

Read More
1252 Words | 6 Pages

Rhetoric is an art form that captures the most compelling of social forces, argument. Argument is everywhere; it drives social life. The pinnacle of persuasion is that it isn't just an argument, but it is one that motivates an audience to fulfill your desires. The most productive of arguments uses the future tense, also known as the language of decisions. Aristotle developed three traits to determine a credible leader: virtue, disinterest, and practical wisdom.

Read More
572 Words | 3 Pages

“If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.” In the play Tragedy of Julius Caesar that William Shakespeare wrote. Caesar is betrayed by his best friend, Brutus. Brutus thought that Caesar was going to get to much power and did not think he would help the people of Rome. Antony’s funeral speech in the The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was most effective due to his use of pathos, logos, and a little of ethos.

Read More
960 Words | 4 Pages

In addition, Antony starts out strong by telling the Romans the opposite of his true intentions. For example, Antony clearly states “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him” (3.2). He starts out by saying this because shortly before, Brutus has just won support over the commoners and does not want the people to think he is going against the words of Brutus even though the words he speaks are how he wishes the people to think. Antony continuous uses claims the men who killed Caesar were honorable men, but then gives reason after reason as to why Caesar was no ambitious. This proves to the people that the conspirators were not noble in killing Caesar without going against the words of Brutus or the other

Read More
708 Words | 3 Pages

Brutus uses ethos the most in his speech, he was considered very honorable by the Romans. Since he was very honorable everyone believed that anything that came out of his mouth had to be true. Brutus had an easier time to win over the people of Rome. Antony is constantly questioning Brutus. Antony targets the credibility and character of Brutus when he says; “And Brutus is an honourable man.”

Read More
942 Words | 4 Pages

The speeches that they give determine who Rome supports, which leads to the death of one of them. Brutus and Antony use pathos, syntax, and diction to create the specific effect of justifying the murder of Caesar for Brutus and turning the crowd against the conspirators for Antony. Brutus and Antony

Read More
978 Words | 4 Pages

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar- Rhetorical Analysis In the novel, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, after Brutus brutally executes Caesar in Act 3 Scene 2, Antony is allowed to give a speech to the people of Rome whom have seen witnessed this fatal tragedy in Scene 3. Antony uses anaphora, connotative diction and details throughout his speech to persuade the Romans to change their perspective of Caesar and Brutus. The way Antony speaks about both Caesar & Brutus are a dispute of what he is actually trying to announce to the Romans. At the end of his speech, Antony hopes to reach the Romans emotionally (pathos) by enraging them against Brutus’s false statements against Caesar.

Read More
804 Words | 4 Pages

In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Marc Antony appears to be a strong advocate for Julius Caesar’s triumphs and increasing power. However, like Caesar, Antony is extremely manipulative and powerful. After Caesar’s death, Antony manipulated the conspirators into believing he was on their side before requesting to speak at Caesar’s funeral. While Brutus and the conspirators remained fooled by Antony’s innocence, Antony took the initiative to inform the Roman citizens of the conspirator’s horrendous actions towards their beloved leader, Julius Caesar. Caesar’s funeral was a time of reflection for the citizens of Rome, as Marc Antony caused them to question their allegiance to Brutus.

Read More
955 Words | 4 Pages

III.ii.93–96” Here is where Antony contradicts Brutus’s previous points about Caesar, and takes Brutus’s credibility away by showing them that even an honorable man like Brutus will stab you in the back. The figure of speech that keeps showing up with all these elements and ties them all together to make this funeral speech complete and convincing enough against the conspirators is repetition. Repetition shows up a lot in the speech and helps get into people’s minds that Caesar was a good guy and didn’t deserve to die. Calling Brutus an honorable man repeatedly is hurting his image, because Antony is putting the words honorable man with negative thoughts putting negativity towards Brutus.

Read More
754 Words | 4 Pages

In this scene Caesar has been murdered by the conspirators including Brutus. Brutus is one of Caesar's good friends who is driven by honor; who thought Caesar’s ambition was going to be the end of Rome. Antony is a very loyal friend of Caesar’s who does not agree with the conspirators. Brutus and Antony are both smart well thought out characters. They desire to persuade the commoners to their side of the situation.

Read More
617 Words | 3 Pages

Marc Antony uses repetition throughout to strengthen his speech. Repetition is the action of repeating something that has already been said or written. Five times during his speech he repeats, “Brutus is an honorable man” (3.2. 94). Antony was not being very serious when he stated this. The statement was sarcastic.

Read More

More about How Does Marc Antony Use Ethos In Julius Caesar

Related Topics

Open Document