Julius Caesar Irony

In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Mark Antony’s funeral speech, although intended to honor Julius Caesar, provided Antony with the perfect opportunities to challenge the deceitful ideologies and actions that the Roman people put into action by using irony. In Antony’s speech for Caesar, Antony attempts to sway the Roman people’s perceptions of Brutus. Antony being Caesar's friend, Antony makes an act of respect towards Caesar by trying to change the people’s opinion of Caesar's actions given Caesar has been deemed ambitious. Whilst trying to sway the opinions of the Roman people, Antony also wants to expose the Roman's inconsistency of who they love as their leader. Antony attempts to use irony to sway the Roman people beliefs of Brutus and Caesar as well as pointing out that the people’s wrong ideologies change the outcome of Rome’s future.

Mark Antony’s funeral speech was to honor Caesar but it seemed Antony was using irony to sway the Roman people's view of Brutus. “Brutus is an honorable man.” (Shakespeare 49-50). Antony uses this line 4 times throughout his speech. At first, nothing was suspicious with the line but as Antony repeated, all the people felt the irony in his words.

As Caesar had the crown, everyone loved and cherished him as their leader. Once Caesar is killed, all the Roman people pledge their loyalty to Brutus the same way the pledged their loyalty to Caesar. Antony says, “You all did love him (Caesar) once, not without a cause.” (Shakespeare 50). Antony uses this to call out the Roman people on the hypocrisy they act upon. Even in Act 1, Scene 1, Marullus states after Pompey’s death when Caesar took the crown, “Knew you not Pompey?” (Shakespeare 2). The Roman people did the same to Pompey after his death. The irony of the Romans actions just proves how gullible humanity can be when it comes to who they pledge their loyalty to as their