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Mark Antony's Ethos In Julius Caesar Essay

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"Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion. This is not a function of any other art, "Aristotle. In Shakespeare's "The
Tragedy of Julius Caesar," although Mark Antony delivers a stronger logical funeral oration,
Brutus delivers a more effective and persuasive speech overall through his use of ethos and pathos. Mark Antony delivers powerful logic and evidence in his funeral oration whereas Brutus delivers logic that is not as convincing as Antony's. "I think presented a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse... was this ambition?" Through Mark Antony's description of the hesitation
Caesar displayed to accept the crown, he contradicts Brutus' claim of Caesar possessing
ambition. …show more content…

While both Mark Antony and Brutus use ethos to depict important positions to the audience, Brutus' position captivates the audience and trumps that of Antony's. In his speech
Mark Antony describes the friendship that he and Caesar shared, "He was my friend, faithful just to me," then continues and provides concession, "But Brutus says he is an honorable man." This shows how Antony believes that he is more prone than Brutus to know and understand the character of Caesar. On the other hand Brutus takes on multiple positions by targeting multiple types of people, "Romans, Countrymen, and lovers! Hear me," to provide for more people in the audience to open up to what he is saying, and as a result gain more support. He continues,"
Brutus' love to Caesar was no less," to take on a position of a good friend of Caesar, as well as, "for the good of Rome," a friend of Rome, in order to show that he should be trusted. Not only did Brutus utilize ethos better than Antony, but he decisively chose positions that the majority of the audience would open up to, thus proving to have a more effective speech than Antony. Just as
Brutus gained the ears of the audience through ethos, he gained the favor of them through his overall use of

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