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Powerful Words In Julius Caesar

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Julius Caesar Essay Words are more powerful than weapons. Throughout the play of Julius Caesar the idea of powerful words is a key theme. Through speeches lies and cunning plans the characters in this play are able to convince people to join conspiracies and move people to action. This play reflects on the need for excellent speaking skills and its importance in ancient Rome, Elizabethan, and modern times. Most of this play centers around the conspirators in the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar, and the main conspirator was Cassius. During the first half of the play Cassius’ main goal was to convince Brutus to betray his best friend Caesar and join the conspiracy. Cassius’ best skill in speaking skill was manipulation; in order to get Brutus on his side Cassius lies and manipulates Brutus by telling stories about Caesars weaknesses and praising Brutus on his honor. Cassius boosts Brutus’ on many occasions, starting his story about Caesar stating, “I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,/ As well as I do know your outward favor./ Well, honor is the subject of my story” (1.2.92-94). In saying things like this Cassius …show more content…

While Brutus spoke well, but had no real factual standpoint, Antony gave many examples of Caesar’s achievements. In his speech he uses Pathos, Logos, Ethos, and Situational Irony to sway his audience. He uses Brutus’ and Cassius’ precious honor and Caesar’s achievements against them, saying, “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept./ Ambition should be made of sterner stuff./ Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,/ And Brutus is an honorable man” (3.2.90-93). In this statement and many other statements following the same pattern Antony degrades the honor and the arguments of Caesar’s ambition that were made by Brutus and the other conspirators. By using situational irony he wins the crowd by a landslide, igniting a war and

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Shakespeare exposes the cutthroat politics of Rome through the speeches of Brutus and Antony in his play Julius Caesar. This play epitomizes the benefits of using rhetorical devices in a persuasive speech. Antony applies the modes ethos, logos, and pathos to establish credibility, provide evidence, and evoke emotion throughout his eulogy to Caesar. Preceding Antony’s speech was that of the senator, and friend of Caesar, Brutus. Conclusively, Antony’s use of rhetorical devices surpasses Brutus’s; Antony successfully persuades the crowd that Brutus’s speech posed as a clever ruse to justify his cold-blooded murder.

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Brutus says Caesar is ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man, but was Caesar really that ambitious? The speaker, Marc Antony, is trying to convince all the people of Rome into liking him more than the people that killed Caesar. Marc Antony uses many rhetorical analysis tactics to do this. In Marc Antony’s speech, he uses forms of rhetorical analysis, such as pathos, ethos, and logos, to help persuade the people of Rome to go against his conspirators. At the start of his speech, Marc Antony begins with “Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your ears."

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As the play progresses, Marc Antony’s manipulative nature is revealed and is especially evident in his shrewd use of rhetoric in Caesar’s eulogy. To bolster his underlying claim that Caesar’s murder was unwarranted and the conspirators should be held liable, he uses several rhetorical devices. Throughout his speech, Antony reiterates the caustic line, “Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man” (3.2.95-96). In doing so, he undermines Brutus’ character and disproves his allegation of Caesar’s ambition. Additionally, he poses several rhetorical questions regarding Caesar aimed at provoking thought and emotion in the crowd.

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One of the most famous scenes in Julius Caesar is Act 3, Scene 2, a rhetorical clash during which the the fate of all of Rome hangs in the balance. It is during these moments that Brutus and Marc Antony showcase their rhetorical skills, turning the tides against the conspirators and ultimately culminating in their demises. This is when we, as readers, receive an opportunity to see both the good and the supposed “tyranny” of Caesar, in the form of Brutus’s and Antony’s well-crafted orations. More importantly, it symbolizes the fall of Brutus’s good reputation, and the rising in power of Octavius and Antony, who will later form the second triumvirate with Lepidus.

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This is powerful in manipulating Brutus, because Brutus is an honorable man, and he is always concerned with what the most honorable decision is. Moreover, Cassius distorts Brutus' view of Caesar by telling Brutus that, "[Caesar has] become a god," and that Cassius "is a wretched creature," that if, "Caesar... [nods at] him," he, "must bend his

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Antony brings awareness to the Plebians that "the noble Brutus hath told [them that] Caesar was ambitious" (Shakespeare 3.2. 77-78) to show that because Brutus is noble, then his word is accurate. Brutus claims that Caesar was ambitious, which means that Caesar was ambitious. As the speech progresses a few sentences, Antony reminds the Plebians of how honorable Brutus is and how Caesar had to die because of his ambition, but then speaks about the good things that Caesar has done. Antony starts to speak about how Caesar "hath brought many captives home to Rome whose ransoms did the general coffers fill" (Shakespeare 3.2 88-89).

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William Shakespeare, in his tragedy Julius Caesar, uses the rhetorical devices of a rhetorical question, repetition of the word “ambitious,” and a direct reference in Antony 's speech to persuade the plebeians to rebel against the conspirators. Antony appeals to 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 revolt. Antony discusses the economic dominance and vigor that Caesar brought to Rome, and with sarcasm he states, “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” (3.2.99).

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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).

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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” (JC, 3.2.20-30), leaves the mob more disturbed and bitter than ever before they succumb to Antony’s appeal to emotion as he continues to exploit their self-love. Brutus’s naïve belief that he has successfully justified his actions in the eyes of the Romans with such a short speech lacking any self-love is a sign of his naivety – a form of foolishness that lacks folly. On the other hand, Antony’s long speech is brave and fearless – a sign of a fool who embodies folly. According to Folly, “I [folly] is also the champion of prudence” (Folly, 27) as prudence is derived from experience, and men who lack

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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

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