Julius Caesar Essay: Brutus Vs. Mark Antony

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Brutus vs. Mark Antony A coup has taken place in Rome. A group of senators have brutally murdered the King of the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar. Days later the leader of the coup, Brutus, and Julius Caesar’s right hand man, Mark Antony, give orations at Caesar’s funeral to prove which side is right. Which side will the mob take? Brutus gets up before the crowd and gives his speech. The mob’s response is exactly what he had hoped for. He sits back and relaxes for Mark Antony’s speech, which he believes will further prove he did the right thing. However, Mark Antony betrays him. Antony persuades the mob that Caesar was a god and did not deserve to be killed. The mob turns on Brutus and the group of conspirators. There is most certainly a civil war on the horizon. The complete 180 switch of the mob proves that Mark Antony uses the rhetoric devices of ethos, pathos, and logos in a more effective manner than his counterpart, Brutus. In the play Julius Caesar, Mark Antony uses the rhetoric device of ethos more effectively than Brutus. During Brutus’ oration for Julius Caesar he attempts to persuade the mob that his …show more content…

In Brutus’ oration he answers the question of why he decided to kill Caesar. Brutus answers the question by saying, “this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more” (3.2.22-24). This answer from Brutus appeals to the Romans’ sense of nationalism. Brutus inflames the mob’s feeling of passion and pride for their country. This use of pathos is very powerful and well crafted; however, Mark Antony outsmarts him. Antony introduces an unprecedented item to the mob, Caesar’s will. Antony initially refuses to read Caesar’s will stating, “O, what would come of it?” (3.2.158) and “I fear I wrong the honorable men” (3.2.163). Without even reading the will Antony implies that it will have damning evidence against Brutus and