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Rhetorical Devices In Antony's Speech

800 Words4 Pages
Desire For Power In Act III, scene ii, lines 74-139 of Julius Caesar Antony’s speech portrays a powerful argument which he used to sway the citizens of Rome to side with him. Antony elaborated the truth behind the conspirators actions, which proved to the citizens that Caesar didn’t rule through ambitiousness like Brutus claimed in the speech prior. The scene took place moments after Brutus ' speech to the people claiming that Caesar 's control ultimately ended his reign,which he justified as the betterment of Rome. Shakespeare uses repetition, tone, and hyperbole throughout his speech to demonstrate the major fault in the conspirators plan, ultimately showing Antony’s need for power. The use of repetition in Antony 's speech allows for him to persuade the crowd and enable him to indoctrinate the plebeians causing them to despise the conspirators undertakings and yearn for Caesar’s avengence. ‘You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And sure he is an honorable man’ (III.ii.96-100, 89-91, 92-95) Antony’s use of rhetorical statements of Brutus’s honorable implies the exact opposite of what he says to the crowd. Although Marc Antony is given the moment to speak during the funeral, he must not speak badly on behalf of the conspirators sake, which allows him to use repetition to ultimately state one thing but mean the exact opposite; these statement ultimately
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