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). The act of giving away money is a selfless act and someone who is ambitious will not give charity.
Like a puppet master, Iago uses deception in the play Othello, by William Shakespeare, as a duplicitous being with perfidious views on the demise of others for personal revenge against Othello. Consequently, he is able to manipulate the characters in an adroit manner with ease as if fraudulency becomes second nature. Yet, Iago has not become this iconic villain without just (used loosely) cause. Before Iago’s notorious connotation, this dauntless soldier-people considering the precedent for just acts, and pious intentions- is discounted for a promotion by word of Othello, leading the inexorable “green-eyed monster” to peek its grotesque head out from underneath its lair. Agitated and undoubtedly cunning, Iago seeks his revenge against Othello with a ferocity unmatched, using every arsenal disposable to him; deception being his greatest.
Out of fear of his future political activities and his overconfident personality, the senators of Rome, including Caesar's best friend Brutus, created a conspiracy to assassinate him to stop him from obtaining absolute power over the Roman Empire. On the Ides of March, Julius Caesar was assassinated by Roman senators because of what they thought Caesar would do with his power. William Shakespeare illustrated an unjustified assassination
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 of
However, his endeavour made him the ultimate ruler at the end. He was motivated both by personal desire and love for Caesar. Mark Antony wanted the people to take actions as per his command, he wants more power, and he wanted to defeat the conspirators in order to avenge Caesar death. In the play Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare is able to write the character of Mark Antony in a splendid fashion. The character of Mark Antony develops throughout the play as the play progresses Antony’s love and ambition towards Caesar will change him into a ruthless tyrant as Caesar was before his death.
Some people are easily manipulated due to hubris, loyalty, naivety, or other characteristics which ultimately leads to consequences and their downfall. Brutus demonstrates loyalty to Rome which makes him vulnerable to being manipulated. Cassius convinces Brutus to join the conspiracy by proclaiming, “‘Brutus’ and ‘Caesar.’ What should be in that ‘Caesar’? / Why should that name be sounded more than yours? / Write them together: yours is as fair a name” (I.ii.143-145).
A notable feature of Julius Caesar is that the initially supposedly main character—Caesar—dies in the middle of the play. The reader eventually realizes that the play is actually of not one, but two separate but closely mirroring tragedies. The famous line “Et tu, Brute?” (3.1.77) serves as a signal for which the scenes following it reveals the tragedy of Brutus in more detail. The tragedy of the first two acts is of Caesar, and all of his flaws culminate to this point, where the conspirators, including his friend Brutus, assassinate him. The significance of this line is that it links together the two tragic characters—Caesar and Brutus—in a close way not witnessed elsewhere in this play.
Othello is presented as a respectful and honorable prince loved by all, but unexpectedly he grows an enemy, Iago. Iago vows to get vengeance on Othello because Othello made Cassio his lieutenant instead of Iago. Iago then takes control of fate in the play as he diabolically invents a plan to manipulate Othello into believing that Desdeomona was having an affair with Cassio. Furthermore, Othello’s tragic flaw was that he was gullible, therefore eventhough Othello was infatuated with Desdemona he chose to believe in Iago’s lies about Desdemona’s “affair”. For example, throughout the entire play, Othello committed irrational actions voluntarily because he was overtaken by jealousy that Iago developed with lies.
In the play Othello, written by Shakespeare, the death of Othello and Desdemona help illuminate important themes present throughout the play. Once Othello passes over Iago for a special position, Iago sets out to destroy all that Othello loves. Meanwhile, Othello falls hopelessly in love with Desdemona and gives Iago the perfect opportunity to collect his vengeance. Iago consistently manipulates the truth to construct the allusion that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Specifically, Act V illustrates Othello’s realization that Iago is behind this heinous plot.
This essay highlights the similarities and differences of the characters, Mark Antony and Brutus, in the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. It’s easiest to say a few similarities first. Both characters wanted power and were willing to kill for it, whether it was Mark Antony trying to kill Brutus or Brutus killing himself for the better of Rome. Brutus says he will kill himself, as he killed Caesar, if he becomes a terrible leader like Caesar did. Another similarity is that both Mark Antony and Brutus are powerful speakers.