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Julius Caesar Vs Machiavelli

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“Don't be afraid to give up the good for the great”- Rockefeller Through a comparison of literature, changing ideas, values and attitudes all which reflect the current social, cultural and historical contexts are evident. In the Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli, the treatise written for young princes clearly highlights the value of deception in politics and popularised the idea that the “end justifies the means”. Similarly, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is a tragedy that actualises Machiavelli’s ideas of power shifts and emphasises how the darker side of the human nature shines through if love or fear isn’t maintained. The texts were both written during periods of intense societal transformation with the Elizabethan Era coming to an end …show more content…

The repetition of Brutus is an honourable man is an attempt by Anthony to twist the warning by Brutus to not talk ill of the conspirators. However, by being suggestive to the plebeians and indirectly attempting to correlate Caesar to a honourable man, Anthony is being what Machiavelli would call virtuous. This relates to the quote “So, a leader doesn't have to possess all the virtuous qualities I've mentioned, but it's absolutely imperative that he seem to possess them” which relates clearly to his virtu’s nature where he attempts to legitimise Brutus’s doing while at the same time manipulating how Caesar appears to the people saying Caesar was a good …show more content…

“He is a dreamer let him pass” is a line which emphasises Caesar’s arrogant nature after he passes by a soothsayer who tells him “Beware the ides of march”. Caesar is seen to address himself in first person multiple times throughout the play in attempt to display himself an immortal and godlike. Just like Elizabethan times, Caesar was seen with almost a godlike stature consequently linking to why the Caesar in the play attempted to incorporate religion into his power. “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars” is also ironic in the it highlights both Caesar’s gullible nature and Brutus’s virtue’s nature in which the phrase “dear Brutus” acts also as an extended metaphor for queen Elizabeth’s reign. Shakespeare cleverly highlights to her to the need for a unified England with schisms in Christianity occurring. Protestants were gaining power in England after she legalised Protestantism. Similarly, Luther’s 95 theses was becoming more widespread and causing internal disputes within the Catholic Church consequently leading to the Protestant Reformation. Nevertheless, Shakespeare’s advice wasn’t taken to heart by Elizabeth and the English Reformation occurred shortly after her

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After he died and Edward became the successor, Edward VI lead to a lead in Protestantism, more specifically, Calvinism. Mary’s reign lead to a switch back to Catholicism. She married one of the strongest supporters of Catholicism, Philip II of Spain, and many Protestants left England in search of religious freedom. Lastly, Elizabeth

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Brutus used ethos frequently throughout his speech, as the people of Rome believe he is honorable and trustworthy. As a result, Antony must diminish Brutus’s honor in the eyes of the crowd in order to make them turn on Brutus. Throughout the speech, Antony says, “Brutus is an honorable man,” each time after giving evidence that Caesar was a good, caring leader. However, the line became increasingly sarcastic each time he said it. As Antony continued to list Caesar’s good deeds, the crowd began to question whether Brutus truly was honorable or whether he had lied about Caesar to free himself of guilt.

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Anthony's many times throughout his speech mocks brutus to show the audience how they shouldn’t trust brutus. “and brutus is an honorable man” (III.ii.83-85), antony using pathos to show facts on why not to trust cesar. Throughout the speech antony uses literary devices to appeal to the audience and to show the connection in the speech so that the romans will find the antony's one more persuavies since he is appealing to

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Antony uses “honorable” and “ambition” multiple times throughout his speech. Antony uses this repetition to clearly state Brutus’s honorability and make the Romans question it. The tone in Antony’s voice when he uses ambition and honor is in an ironic tone. Antony is proving to the Romans of Brutus is a traitor by using Brutus’s own words against him. This set of repeating words is another great example of logical appeal.

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14-15). He is gaining the trust of the people by making himself look credible even if he really isn’t. Brutus achieves this by saying how much honor he has and an honorable man should be respected for that. Antony,

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Antony’s speech is bursting with many rhetorical devices to persuade the plebeians that demonstrates his orator skills of using ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is prevalent within Antony’s speech when he addresses the credibility of Brutus by saying Brutus is an honorable man. For instance, Antony uses repetition of saying that Brutus is an honorable man that altogether questions his credibility in the following lines: “Yet Brutus says he was ambitious / And Brutus is an honorable man (103-104). By using this clever phase with a tone of sarcasm it degrades Brutus’s orator skills and as a person.

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He wanted to take care of the people. By saying all this he tries to point out why Brutus was wrong with saying the reason he killed Caesar was because he was ambitious. As Antony speaks, he continues to repeat the line that "Brutus was an honorable man." He does this so that the crowd will catch onto his sarcasm. Brutus only allowed Antony to come speak if he would only say good things about Brutus, so Antony decides to use repetition and sarcasm as well as a way to engage the

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I believe in order for a person to be considered noble they should also show to be loyal as well. The issue here is not a measure of nobleness it is a measure of loyalty and weakness. Brutus himself wanted to be like Caesar. Brutus wanted to have Caesar’s power and influence over the people of Rome. What Brutus did not know is

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Antony continuously used the “Honorable man” concept throughout the speech to catch the citizens’ attention and let them realize that Brutus is not as dignified as he most viewed. Next, Antony uses figurative

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Antony consistently acknowledging that “Brutus is honorable” makes the audience question considerably whether Brutus is truly honorable. Antony does this as an attempt to show that Brutus is actually selfish and discriminatory. The technique of irony was greatly effective in persuading the audience to believe Antony’s claim, by having them question the meaning of honorable, and to question Brutus’s character. Antony presented the anecdote referring back to the time where Caesar denied the crown three separate times through the line of, “I thrice presented him a kingly crown.” Antony used the technique of anecdote to have the audience recognize Caesar’s

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Although Caesar, as the upcoming ruler of Rome in Julius Caesar, should be portrayed as the ideal leader of the play, he actually has too arrogant of a character to be so. Therefore, Shakespeare places honor in Brutus and allows Brutus to have the role of the idealistic leader of the story. Although Shakespeare writes this play in a controversial time period during England’s political turmoil, he allows the audience to be able to choose the true ruler of loyalty to the crown or the honor of a noble man through the understanding of the two contrasting character

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Module A: Comparative study of texts and context Shakespeare’s “Julius Ceaser” explores the concept of absolute authority and how manipulation can cause chaos whereas the Prince by Machiavelli asserts that without absolute authority there is chaos. Understanding of authority has been enhanced by the comparative study of ‘The Prince’ by Niccolo Machiavelli and Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Ceaser’ in the aspect that they are both bold statements to their respective political situation. Understanding of these texts is further enhanced by watching the Charlton Heston rendition of Mark Antony’s speech to the people. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote the prince to serve as a political treatus for an effective leader who is void of morals to achieve his goals, Julius Ceaser is a political play that serves as a statement as

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Throughout “Désirée’s Baby” by Kate Chopin, slavery and racism play a massive role in how the characters, particularly Armand Aubigny, interact with one another. In Armand’s case, he believes that he holds one of the oldest, proudest, and whitest names in nineteenth century Louisiana. The pride cached within the Aubigny legacy comes to dictate his life and virtually every drastic decision he makes; he appears to live in constant fear of having his name tarnished. His reputation and pride are established as his driving force, but also contribute to a hatred of anyone who is colored. He wills a strict and ominous slave ownership into reality as a result of this irrational fear and overabundance of pride.

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In Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, he maintains a harsh perspective on reality. His advice on how to maintain power leaves no room for compassion or generousity. While some may believe that these are qualities of a good person, Machiavelli believes these qualities lead to the downfall of rulers. He acknowledges that, in reality, it is impossible for someone to have qualities of a good person and simultaneously a good ruler. Machiavelli’s realistic outlook causes him to emphasize that it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion.

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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.

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