Rhetorical Analysis Essay On Julius Caesar

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar, Mark Antony uses rhetorical devices such as paralipsis, rhetorical questions, and verbal irony in his speech to the plebeians in order to plot them against the conspirators. During his speech to the plebians, Antony uses paralipsis in order to kindle curiosity and interest in the audience. Antony mentions to the plebians that he had Caesar’s will with him but tells them, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how much Caesar loved you” (3.2.152-153). By drawing attention to Caesar’s will, something Antony desperately wants to show the plebeians, but then dismissing the idea of reading it, Antony uses a type of verbal irony called paralipsis. Antony is aware that the contents

Rhetorical Differences The reason Brutus failed to continue to have the citizens of Rome persuaded is simplified in this quote by Robert A Heinlein: “You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convince one man by logic.” Brutus failed while Antony succeeded because Brutus relied on logic whereas Antony relied on the emotions of the people. Despite the fact that Antony did it for the wrong reasons, he obviously was more skilled in rhetoric than Brutus.

Marc Antony and Brutus are both great at speaking to crowds. The crowd liked Brutus the best at first but by the end of the act they hated him and liked Antony. The reason the crowd liked Antony the best was because he knew how to persuade them and he knew how to turn them against Brutus. They also liked how he talked good about Brutus and how he talked about Caesar’s will.

In the words of author Ray Comfort, “Rhetoric, which is the use of language to inform or persuade, is very important in shaping public opinion. We are very easily fooled by language and how it is used by others.” It is only human nature to be influenced by others that we idolized, which is why man has developed a means to exploit natural tendencies and supercede those influenced by the masters of rhetoric. Throughout all of history, it can be seen that it is much more beneficial to be articulate and persuasive than to have the desirable political standpoint when it comes to swaying an audience or party. Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar demonstrates that rhetorical knowledge is more important that policies or beliefs in gaining political power.

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.

The effect words have is huge. The power of words and the meanings they have is seen every day. It is not only seen in literature like Julius Caesar, but also on social media and in events happening daily. Robin Williams once said “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”

After the death of Julius Caesar, the people of Rome demanded an answer. An audience gathered to hear both the speeches of Brutus and Mark Antony, since Brutus allowed Antony to speak. Brutus went first, trying to persuade the crowd to realize this was a necessary evil. Mark Antony went after Brutus and took a different approach. He used pathos, which means he appealed to the audiences emotions and feelings.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me”? While this could be accepted as a universal truth, this statement is not always completely accurate. A few cleverly chosen words may turn the tide of any argument, with consequences most severe. In Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, the content of the two speeches delivered at Caesar’s funeral has devastating effects on the outcome of the plot to which it directly foreshadows.

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful” is what Edward R. Murrow says about what persuasiveness is and how it is effective (“Persuasive” 1). Throughout the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, rhetoric is used not only to convince other friends to believe certain situations, but it is used against enemies as well. After Brutus and the other conspirators successfully execute their plan to murder Caesar, both Brutus and Marc Antony speak at the funeral in order to convince the audience to support their cause. While Brutus does make a compelling case about how he killed his best friend for the good of Rome, Antony ultimately wins the audience over through his use of sentimental appeals and repetition.

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).