Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis Essay

421 Words2 Pages

Julius Caesar, former beloved Roman general and statesman, would eventually take steps to become the most powerful man in Rome by becoming a dictator. This critical decision would eventually lead to his betrayal and assassinated by a group of rebellious senators. After being murdered in front of the people, under the statue of Pompey. Brutus held a funeral, at said funeral Brutus and Antony gave speeches. What speech was more plausible? Marcus Brutus, a general Roman, and Julius’ nearest friend killed him along with five other men. He wanted to hold a funeral for Julius not out of respect, but so he could speak his side and explain why he killed Julius. “Judge me you, you gods! Wrong, I am my enemy. And if not so, how could I wrong a brother.” Brutus tries to explain to the crowd that he didn't murder Caesar to be cruel but for the people. …show more content…

He then came back and shook the conspirators’ bloody hands, he begged to speak at Julius’ funeral, and Brutus allowed him, as long as he did not speak badly of the conspirators. When doing his speech, he used rhetorical devices like repetition and sarcasm when he kept repeating that Brutus was an honorable man and using it in a sarcastic tone. He used pathos by playing with the audience's emotion when showing the cloak and Caesar's body, it made the audience emotional. Brutus' speech convinced the people that his reasoning was enough to kill his friend and they even wanted him to be the new Caesar. Antony's speech convinced the people to turn against the conspirators, kill a poet with the name Cinna, and start a riot. Does that make Antony's speech better, or does it make them easily manipulated? Antony used props like Caesar's body, bloody cloak, and Caesar's will. Brutus just explained his reasoning and was