ipl-logo

Julius Caesar Rhetorical Devices Essay

1258 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Julius caesar Rhetorical devices

Shakespearean Rhetoric In order to learn how to use rhetorical devices successfully, you really have to have a true understanding of Shakespeare’s intent on words . The selected passages from Act III, scene II of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar are the perfect tutorial for those who want to learn the basic rules of argumentation. This scene describes the events that took place after Caesar’s death. Brutus, who is the close friend of Caesar, is also one of his assassinators. He delivers an oration in order to defend himself. On the other hand, Mark Antony wants to persuade the audience that Brutus is guilty. He is not allowed to speak directly, which is why Antony uses special rhetorical devices. While reading the Act III, scene II of …show more content…

Brutus faces with the inner psychological drama, which is why his speech has two main goals. First, he tries to persuade the audience that the assassination of Caesar is the necessary action thats made in order to save Rome from trouble. Secondly, Brutus tries to persuade himself that he killed Caesar because this was his duty, not for his own purposes. The character begins his speech with the rhetorical device of antimetabole. He repeats the words in successive clauses while placing them in reverse grammatical …show more content…

As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him…(Act III, scene II).
Again, the usage of anaphora is very effective here. All the rhetorical devices used by Brutus are successful. He managed to get approval from the audience. However, his speech didnt bring him the final victory, as Mark Antony discredited his actions. According to the play, Mark Antony would be allowed to make a funeral speech for Caesar only if he did not blame the conspirators for Caesar’s death. However, his intention was opposite to the promise he gave. Antony’s speech is strong because he uses emotionally charged rhetoric in order to manipulate with the position of the audience. At the beginning of the speech the audience stands completely by the Brutus’s side:
Fourth Citizen: “Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here”.
First Citizen: “This Caesar was a tyrant” (Act III, scene II).
Antony’s speech begins by justifying the actions of Brutus. It seems so because the speaker uses the device of contrast:
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones… (Act III, scene

Show More
Related

Use Of Rhetorical Questions In Brutus Caesar's Funeral

160 Words | 1 Pages

At Caesar's funeral Brutus gained the support of the people but Antony’s speech was far more moving. In Antony’s speech he used rhetorical questions, and repetition to support his argument. While Brutus was trying to convince to everyone that what he did was the right thing to do, Antony is explaining why it was unnecessary to murder Caesar. He repeated the rhetorical question Was This Ambition. He cited all of the good things that Caesar did.

Read More

Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis Essay

833 Words | 4 Pages

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar, Mark Antony uses rhetorical devices such as paralipsis, rhetorical questions, and verbal irony in his speech to the plebeians in order to plot them against the conspirators. During his speech to the plebians, Antony uses paralipsis in order to kindle curiosity and interest in the audience. Antony mentions to the plebians that he had Caesar’s will with him but tells them, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how much Caesar loved you” (3.2.152-153). By drawing attention to Caesar’s will, something Antony desperately wants to show the plebeians, but then dismissing the idea of reading it, Antony uses a type of verbal irony called paralipsis. Antony is aware that the contents

Read More

Marc Antony's Funeral Speech Rhetorical Analysis Essay

652 Words | 3 Pages

Rhetorical Analysis: Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar William Shakespeare, the author of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, had exceptional use of rhetoric when composing Marc Antony’s funeral speech for Julius Caesar. Ethos, pathos, and logos are the three main components of rhetoric, and were all portrayed to us within Antony’s speech. Shakespeare allowed Antony to pour intense emotion into this thoughtful speech, and it clearly resulted in great success. The main purpose or point of said speech was to persuade Antony’s audience to go against the conspirators and inform the Roman’s about Caesar’s tragic death.

Read More

Ethical Appeal In Julius Caesar

818 Words | 4 Pages

In the play "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" by Shakespeare, two individuals named Brutus and Antony give a funeral oration to the people of Rome in concern of the justification of Caesars death. Both of them share an opposite view towards the death of Caesar, Antony thinks his death was unjustified, while Brutus believes in the opposite. Despite the fact that Brutus was able to deliver a better ethical appeal. Antony delivers a more persuasive rhetorical speech since he appeals to the crowd more with his emotional and logical appeal Ethical appeal was used by both individuals in their funeral orations, evidently Brutus was able to execute a better ethical appeal than Antony. Brutus wanted to make the people of Rome feel like the death of Caesar was necessary for the sake of Rome.

Read More

Ethos Pathos Logos In Julius Caesar

437 Words | 2 Pages

After reading excerpts from Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, write an essay that compares Brutus’ speech with Marc Antony’s speech and argues the effectiveness of the rhetorical devices (ethos, pathos, logos) used in each. Be sure to support your position with evidence from the texts. William Shakespeare writes a play about Julius Caesar’s assassination and the speeches his friends gave at his funeral. In the play, Brutus assassinated Caesar because he thought he was protecting Rome. He was saying that if Caesar got all the power he would most likely become vicious and make everyone his slaves.

Read More

Essay On Rhetorical Devices In Julius Caesar

704 Words | 3 Pages

William Shakespeare, in his tragedy Julius Caesar, uses the rhetorical devices of a rhetorical question, repetition of the word ambitious, and direct reference in Antony 's speech to instigate the plebeians and persuade them to rebel against the conspirators. Antony pulls on the pathos, ethos, and logos of the audience to get them to exile the conspirators. Shakespeare uses a rhetorical question in Antony’s speech to get the plebeians to notice the wrongdoings of the conspirators and excite them to rebel. Antony discusses the money that Caesar left to the countrymen, and with sarcasm he states, “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” (3.2.99).

Read More

Irony Of Mark Antony's Persuasive Speech In Julius Caesar

524 Words | 3 Pages

Mark Antony’s more persuasive speech In Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, the ruler of Rome, Caesar, was just murdered by secret party in the senate. Brutas, which was one of Caesar's closest companions, is a part of this secret party and he just delivered his speech to the people of Rome explaining why he had to murder Caesar. Mark Antony was not a part of this assignation and he gives a speech right after Brutus’s. Mark Antony is persuading the emotional people of Rome that Caesar was not ambitious like Brutus said.

Read More

Antony's Speech Using Rhetorical Appeals In Julius Caesar

949 Words | 4 Pages

Antony’s Speech Using Rhetorical Appeals In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, after Caesar’s death, the Romans are conflicted about what should be done. After Brutus’ speech the Romans are ready to crown Brutus king and be on the conspirators’ side. Though Brutus then leaves the crowd while Antony delivers his speech, the crowd realizes what should be done of Caesar’s murder and Antony prevents the conspirators from getting away with the murder of Caesar.

Read More

Brutus Vs Antony's Speech Essay

404 Words | 2 Pages

First, Antony convinces the crowd that the murder of Caesar was wrong through his ironic and sarcastic statement. He is told by Brutus that in order to speak at the funeral, he has to agree to adhere to certain rules. He has to say that the conspirators allowed him to speak, and he cannot blame the conspirators or say anything bad about Caesar. While he follows these rules, he does not mean what he says. He uses verbal

Read More

The Virtue Of Brutus In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

603 Words | 3 Pages

The last and most important reason for this monologue is so Brutus knows that without Mark Antony no one will be able to convince Rome that their acts were justified. Right before this event occurred, Brutus and the other conspirators killed Caesar. Brutus has convinced all of them to do this for the good of Rome, but that was not their actual intention. At this moment of the play Mark Antony is very nervous because he knows that he could be next for the conspirators to kill because he was a close friend of Caesar.

Read More

Compare And Contrast Brutus And Antony's Speech

884 Words | 4 Pages

Brutus delivers his speech in a laudatory manner by conveying Caesar’s deeds and claiming he was ambitious, although Antony contradicts Brutus’ claims and says Caesar spurned the crown with the intent to merely rule as a de facto dictator. Brutus’ speech reveals his motives were truly for the benefit of Rome given his nationalistic tone and Antony’s speech was merely used to obscure his true motives, which was to embroil Rome in a series of civil wars to attain power. Brutus and Antony’s speeches consisted predominantly of Pathos and Ethos, but it is Antony who ultimately it is Antony who prevails because of his almost disingenuous attitude and even use of Logos which is seen when claims that reading Caesar’s will would dishonor his compeers and even Caesar

Read More

Brutus As A Tragic Hero In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

2035 Words | 9 Pages

According to the play, once Brutus and the conspirators kill Caesar, Antony is noticed, and he comes one last time to see his role-model and friend. Brutus then tells him that he can speak at the big funeral that is going to convene outside. But once the conspirators come out of the senate with the blood on their hands, everyone goes crazy. Suddenly, Brutus finds a way to silence everyone, and then he delivers a great speech about why what he did wasn’t bad. Then, Antony comes and gets everyone riled up and mad at Brutus.

Read More

What Is Mark Anthony Speech In Julius Caesar's Funeral

444 Words | 2 Pages

Brutus and Mark Anthony both delivered speeches at Julius Caesar's funeral and both for their own reasons, objectives and modes of persuasion. Today we are going to look at and compare the two speeches. At the time the Roman people were looking for answers as to what happened and why. Brutus speech was solely on behalf of Rome and in his speech he was rather blunt and to the point speaking his case for why Caesar had to die for the benefit of Rome.

Read More

Rhetorical Appeals In Brutus

755 Words | 4 Pages

In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar one of the main characters Caesar is killed in Scene 3 act 2.Then Brutus and Antony both give speeches about how bad they feel. Brutus gives a good speech by using all three of the rhetorical appeals to persuade the crowd to want to listen to what he say by using logos,ethos,pathos to his advantage. Brutus gives a better speech that draws the audience attention,Antony not as much. Therefor here are some very valid points on why Brutus’s speech used the Rhetorical Appeals better.

Read More

Antony Speech In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

333 Words | 2 Pages

Mikayla Horner Pd. 5 12/10/16 Julius Caesar Writing Assignment Julius Caesar a play written by William Shakespeare between the marvelous characters and the vicious fights. There is 2 important speeches made in the book, they are said by the characters Antony and Brutus. Brutus made a speech to the citizens telling them he did kill caesar, but he did it for the greater good for Rome. Antony also made a speech explaining that Caesar was a good man killed in cold blood.

Read More

More about Julius Caesar Rhetorical Devices Essay

Related Topics

Open Document