The Rhetorical Questions In Shakespeare's 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

While Brutus uses questions against Caesar, Antony uses them for Caesar, but against Brutus. He does not really agree that Brutus is honorable, but is making fun of him. He shows passion by using thought and emotions while asking the citizens questions, this causes them to gain respect and trust Antony over Brutus. Marc Antony makes a remarkable personality change as a character, from a “party guy” to an extremely clever man by using reverse psychology in order to persuade listeners. Antony utilizes Brutus’s own words against him to show the truth about the conspirators and their intentions of killing Caesar.

He uses aporia, loaded words, and a dramatic pause to manipulate the Roman people and cause them to have fiery emotions. Antony follows Brutus’ speech at Caesar’s funeral and uses aporia to produce a manipulative and fiery tone. Since aporia feigns or pretends, Antony uses this rhetorical device by claiming, “Hear this testament-/ Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read” (Shakespeare 45). Antony is referring to Caesar’s will and claims he does not wish to read it; although, he knows that saying this will manipulate the Roman people and cause them to have a greater desire to hear the testament. Using this rhetorical device calls more attention to the will and what is written in it.

Is it justified to kill someone because they have gained too much power and are going to use it for the worse? Brutus has a very bad circumstance on his hands, he can kill Caesar and possibly be executed for his actions or he can let Caesar become king and watch Rome fall. There are many reasons why Brutus should and should not join the conspiracy. Brutus says, “I know no personal reason to spurn at him But for the general.” (II,i,11). Lucius Junius Brutus one of Brutus’ ancestor that turned Rome into a republic.

However, Antony uses his exact words to negate his argument. He says, “But Brutus says he was ambitious.” He does this in order to show the crowd that the conspirator 's main reason for killing Caesar was wrong. By giving examples of how Caesar wasn’t ambitious, then saying that Brutus said Caesar was ambitious, he turns the crowd against the conspirators, achieving his specific effect. Antony was the more persuasive character in the use of repetition because he was able to disprove the things Brutus said. Brutus’ main argument was that Caesar was ambitious, and Antony purposely disproved his main argument so that the crowd would have no choice but to support

Antony’s Speech Using Rhetorical Appeals In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, after Caesar’s death, the Romans are conflicted about what should be done. After Brutus’ speech the Romans are ready to crown Brutus king and be on the conspirators’ side. Though Brutus then leaves the crowd while Antony delivers his speech, the crowd realizes what should be done of Caesar’s murder and Antony prevents the conspirators from getting away with the murder of Caesar. Antony uses rhetorical appeals and techniques in his speech to turn the people of Rome against those conspiring against Caesar. As a result, the people see Antony as a persuasive and strong leader of Rome.

After Brutus spoke, Antony, one of Brutus 's friends spoke. He was not allowed to speech bad about the conspirators. His goal then was to try and upset the people and turn them against the conspirators. Brutus first addresses the crowd to calm them down drastically and to explain that if Julius became king, the power could have went to his head and became a bad guy. In his speech Brutus uses logos and ethos.

Marcus Junius Brutus and Mark Antony both deliver speeches to justify the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE and both use Logos and Ethos to convince the Roman citizens to join their sides. Both sides deliver their speeches with vehemence and start by elucidating why Brutus killed Caesar to begin with, why Antony’s desire for revenge is justified, and what the future of Rome will be because of his death. Antony teases the citizens of Rome with the will of Caesar that he holds in hand and claims it will dishonor Brutus and the other conspirators and is also one of his vital uses of Ethos in his speech. Most of the citizens, if not all of them side with Antony and will most likely help him accede to a great title of power in the future and also betray Brutus because of what Antony has them believe, i.e. an ignoble assassin.

In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Antony uses the rhetorical appeal logos to persuade the Roman people to turn against the conspirators. At the beginning of Antony’s speech, he started off by giving examples of Caesar being a generous leader, so when the ‘poor cried’ out for help, Caesar cried along with them (91). Antony uses the rhetorical appeal logos when he said that Caesar ‘cried’ with the poor. He made an argument that Caesar caried about the Roman people and more deeply, since the conspirator said that they killed Caesar because he is ambitious, but Caesar caried about his countrymen which showed that the conspirators are not honorable.

These statements mixed with examples counteractive to Brutus’ argument create an antithesis that results in the plebeians not only doubting the argument of Brutus but beginning to believe that Caesar’s death was unjust. By restating the statements over and over again by to the point that the true intention of the conspirators is a rhetorical question for the plebeians. Antony’s use of this device not only affects the logos of the people by giving them a rhetorical question as to what is happening, but also affects their ethos by causing them to doubt the credibility of Brutus’ argument. Lastly, Antony begins to finish his speech and win the plebeians over by orating “.O masters, if I were disposed to stir your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong— who, you all know, are honorable men” (Shakespeare 3.2.120-123). Antony by turning Brutus and Cassius into villains.

These two sides consist of Brutus and Cassius as the conspirators and Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus as the loyal ones to Caesar. The two sides battle it out at Philippi, which turns out to the the final resting place for Brutus and Cassius, who lose at the end. In “Julius Caesar” William Shakespeare uses Metaphors and hyperboles to prove that Marcus brutus is the Tragic Hero due to his naivety. Shakespeare uses hyperboles to show that Brutus is the tragic hero in this play due to his naivety. Throughout

The reader knows Oedipus’ pride is what influenced him to excuse Tiresias and Creon for framing him. When Oedipus enters the scene he immediately starts to accuse Creon again. Oedipus tells Creon he is now “an enemy of mine” (657). This all relates to the theme pride can lead to the downfall of man because, just as Tiresias, Oedipus claims Creon is plotting against him due to his pride blinding him from the