The Assassination Of Brutus In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

During the Roman times, a wise man’s usage of words has the ability to persuade other’s minds, especially during a time of crisis. William Shakespeare writes Julius Caesar as a tragedy in 1599 to explain the conspiracy against Julius Caesar. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Cassius & the other conspirators viciously stab Julius Caesar to death which causes an outrage among the plebeians. Brutus tries to justify to the crowd the reason as to why they kill Caesar. Brutus exclaims Caesar’s ambition shows Caesar’s ability to eventually become a tyrant. Marcus Antonius (Antony), one of Caesar’s admirers, vows revenge against the conspirators. Mark Antony’s seed of doubt leads the crowd to believe Caesar’s stabbing includes personal motives. This seed of doubt eventually leads the crowd to rebel against the conspirators. During Roman times, people widely accept rhetoric, the

Antony seems to contradict Brutus actually being honorable. Antony explains “He was my friend, faithful and just to me; / But Brutus says he was ambitious, / And Brutus is an honorable man” (3.2.94-96). By repeating “Brutus is an honorable man”, Caesar has a cumulative impact on the audience. Antony teaches the crowd about one of Caesar’s great qualities, yet seems to end it in “Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; / And sure he is an honorable man” (3.2.107-108). This seems to contradict the statement. Each one of Caesar’s virtues that Antony list, he provides a counter-view from Brutus. Antony tries to make the crowd notice that Brutus use of ambitious equals tyranny. If Brutus views someone who positively impacts the empire as a tyrant, then truly Brutus can not be trustworthy. Antony’s manipulation of the word “honorable” leads to a different meaning. The crowd becomes manipulated into questioning Brutus’s honor. Repetition twists the meaning of the word honorable which impacts the crowd’s