Verbal Irony In Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis

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Thesis: Antony uses verbal irony, appeal to logic, and emotion to turn people against the Conspirators. Verbal Irony A. “O masters! If I were disposed to stir your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus and Cassius wrong,” (III, ii, 119-121). Antony uses verbal irony here at the relative beginning of his speech to start to clue the audience in to what he wants from them without outwardly saying it. The mention of rage and mutiny are not typical funeral topics so when he brings them up, the crowd begins to listen more closely. His ironic statements are directly opposite of his goals; Antony wants to stir the people to take revenge on the Conspirators. By using this device, Antony is able to get the people to think about what the Conspirators have done and how, if they truly think about it, they would be deeply angered. Irony is also used by Antony to point out the …show more content…

He wants them to see the incongruities between what Brutus said and what they know has happened. Antony uses this example to get the people questioning the motives of the Conspiracy so that he can then take their doubts and use them as motivation for the army he wants to form. B. “You all did seem that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?” (III, ii, 93-95). Antony reminds the people of the time he presented Caesar the crown at the Lupercal festival because Caesars’ refusal makes the crowd reexamine his actions. While they may have seen Caesar as prideful originally, Antony implores the plebeians to see the selfless nature Caesar displayed when he refused the crown so many times. This altruistic act is something Antony calls upon the crowd to remember because it makes Caesar look like a considerate leader, one that they were stripped