There are many twists, turns, ups, and downs in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Many characters impacted the opinions of the citizens, some more than others. After Caesar's murder, the conspirators allowed Antony to speak after Brutus at the funeral under a few conditions. While following these conditions Antony had a much larger impact than Brutus on the citizens. The tone in Antony's speech in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is passionate, Shakespeare proves this through his use of rhetorical questions and reverse psychology in order to change the citizens opinion of Brutus and Caesar.
Antony was not being very serious when he stated this. The statement was sarcastic. However, Brutus was honorable in a way because he let Marc Antony speak
Antony uses pathos he communicates to the people in a way that Brutus did not. Since, Antony is not allowed to say anything bad at the funeral he discretely criticizes Brutus and Cassius because he feels that what they did was wrong. For example, when Antony makes a comment that is contrary to what he means, he says “But Brutus is an honourable man”. Antony uses a lot of pathos because he wants the citizens to feel the way he is feeling. For example, he says he wants to read them the letter but he does not want to make them weep because of how much Caesar loved them.
Brutus is faced with a serious decision in Act II. Brutus states, “It must be by his [Caesar] death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him but for the general. He would be crowned.”, and “Th’ abuse of greatness is when it when it disjoins remorse from power; and, to speak truth of Caesar. I have not known when his affections swayed more than his reason.” Brutus was faced with the decision if he should kill Caesar or let him live. He came to the conclusion that killing Caesar was the right thing to do, not just for himself but for the public’s greater good.
He begins by using logos to counter Brutus in a sarcastic manner. He presents instances in which Caesar was not ambitious, but since Brutus says he was, and Brutus is respectable, it must have been true (III.ii.93-108). Antony’s logic causes the audience to question everything that they had previously been told by Brutus, and he begins to portray Caesar as humble and loving. Antony, realizing that the people have been easily persuaded, begins to use pathos to get an emotional reaction and turn the hearts of the people. He tells them that he doesn’t want to make them angry, which sets up a raging response to hearing the will of Caesar (III.ii.135-156).
When Antony speaks to the plebeians, he convinces them that Caesar was a good man and turns them against the conspirators. After Brutus spoke, Antony
Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart, Crying ‘Long live, hail, Caesar!’” (5.1.30-32). Antony uses a taunting tone to mock and agitate Brutus because he knows that Brutus will take it whole-heartedly in a negative way. Though “bad” and “good” aren’t generally known to be descriptive adjectives, they really are descriptive in this quote. At first Antony attacks with an insult straight to Brutus, but rebounds with complimenting his words only to attack again with “hole you made in Caesar’s heart.” This could hurt anyone, and it did a great deal to Brutus, and these words stick with him all the way to his suicide. As Brutus dies with Antony’s words in mind, the battle is ultimately decided as his victory.
For example when Brutus contributes to killing Caesar, he uses rhetoric to gain the people’s trust again and when Antony uses persuasion to turn their mind set around against Brutus and onto his side. Brutus uses pathos to have people make an emotional answer to a rhetorical question; if they want Caesar alive and live as slaves or have him dead and live free. Antony uses his relationship with Brutus to gain people and have them turn away from Brutus and turn towards him in the case of Caesar’s death. After looking at both, Brutus and Antony’s funeral speeches, it is inferred that even though Brutus and Antony both used rhetorical devices in their speeches, Antony used them to his advantage along with his strong relationship with
In William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony wants revenge on the conspirators who killed Caesar. Following Julius Caesar's death, Mark Antony uses many different rhetorical devices such as pathos and ethos in his speech that help convince the Plebeians to go against the conspirators. Attempting to draw the emotions out of the plebeians, Mark Antony uses pathos to persuade them. Mark Antony says, “ My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me” (3.2. 106-107).
It justifies that Brutus only killed Caesar for the greater good of Rome. In consequence Brutus brings the Plebeians to his side, but Mark Antony has yet to speak and could persuade the Plebeians against