Mobition, Power And Corruption In Julius Caesar

He acted on greed, hatred, and jealousy instead of having the good of Rome in mind. Author, Donald Wasson, finds that several of the senators, including Cassius, who were involved in the conspiracy against Caesar were “friends and supporters of Pompey who sought both high office and profit” in his article The Murder of Julius Caesar (Wasson). Cassius did not care about what Caesar was doing or would do to Rome with his power, instead he only worried about having power over everyone else. He told Brutus about Julius Caesar’s disabilities and commented about his amazement that “a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world and bear the palm alone” (I.ii.131-133). Cassius never wanted to be below or feel less than anybody.

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.

Antony begins by stating the reasons why Caesar wasn’t ambitious, but a kind, loving friend. For example, “He was my friend, faithful, and just to me,/But Brutus says he was ambitious,/And Brutus is an honorable man./He hath brought many captives home to Rome,/Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill./Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?/When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;/Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.” (III.ii.94-101). By saying this, Antony informs the audience of his and Caesar’s relationship and mocks the way Brutus repeated how Caesar was ambitious frequently in his eulogy. Antony then provided evidence of the opposite. He says that, although he kept captives for ransom, he cries for the poor.

The people of Rome along with the conspirators convinced him to kill his former friend, Caesar. His last words before killing Caesar were “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” (III.II.19-24) This shows that he cared more about the society and people of Rome, than his friend. It also shows how they could influence him to turn against his friend. He believed that what he was

Human minds are meant to function in certain ways when given certain situations. If you give someone power, they are bound to become corrupt. Corruption comes with revolution for a new way to rule the nation. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, we see one of these revolutions occur. Julius Caesar is about to become crowned king, so a group of conspirators rise up against him.

Second, Brutus is still apart of the government he loves so dearly. Lastly, what if Caesar made Rome even stronger than it was at the time? Caesar is loved by the people more than anyone in Rome. So if Brutus kills Caesar, the way people will think about him my change. Brutus thinks that the people will join his side when he kills caesar, but what if the people think he is a murderer.

Influence Caesar was the man that had it all. Antony was his loyal friend. Brutus was an aspiring ruler and conspirator. In the play Julius Caesar, the way one speaks is key in understanding their intent and the influence it has on people. William “Shakespeare was very skeptical about democracy in the sense of rule by the majority, or direct rule by the people” (99).

Being one of Caesar's best friends, Antony took the angle opposite Brutus; he displayed all the actions that Caesar took to benefit Rome. ¨He hath brought many captives home to Rome… When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept… I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse” (III. ii. L 86, 89, 94-95). Antony really tries to appeal Caesar to the crowd and all his triumphs, not faults.

Marc Antony uses all three appeals in his speech to make a very sturdy argument. An example of logos in his speech is when he states, “He hath brought many captives home to Rome Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” This speech is Antony stating facts of Caesar’s work which proves that he is not ambitious and does not deserve to be killed. Antony also uses ethos and pathos when he says, “He was my friend, faithful and just to me.” This is ethos in the way it gives him credibility as a friend, suggesting that he would truly know Caesar. But, it is also pathos because it makes the crowd sorrowful for him because someone that is close to him has been killed. The use of ethos, logos and pathos made Marc Antony’s argument and speech far superior to Brutus’s.

He made the people of Rome feel bad for him, and they saw him as a good man who was loyal to Caesar. Brutus only had one thing going for him, which was he had helped to kill Caesar so that he could help Rome. The people of Rome of course, saw Brutus as the bad guy in this situation and did not believe he was loyal to Caesar. Although Antony uses tactics in his speech to make Brutus look like criminal for just marveling Caesar’s death. In my opinion I believe that Antony’s speech was more persuasive and believable than Brutus’.He made the crowd feel connected to Caesar and he caught the eye of the Roman people.