Preview

Antony's Speech In Julius Caesar

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
733 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Antony's Speech In Julius Caesar
n Act III, Scene ii. of Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar Brutus and Antony are presenting speeches to the Roman plebeians to convince them of their position regarding Caesar’s assassination.They both believe differently Antony manages stealthily bring it to the opinion that Caesar has been killed wrongfully.He begins by insisting that Brutus and the other murderers are honorable but then slowly undermines this idea by pointing out that Caesar's ambition could not be true. How Caesar loved his people.Brutus thinks that Caesar threatened to take away the freedom of the Plebeians and if allowed to live he would have turned them all into slaves.The theme in the play is the power of language.Antony's speech is superior and has more rhetorically …show more content…
A funeral held by the people who just killed Caesar. If he spoke against them, he would probably be killed himself. So, he has to start out seeming like a friend to Brutus by saying he is an honorable man He says that Brutus claimed the reason he killed Caesar was because he was ambitious. (He wanted to be king and overthrow the Roman republic.) For his proof he says that Caesar put the ransom money into the public treasury and refused the crown that Mark Antony offered him three times, etc. Another Example is when Antony unveils the body of Caesar in front of the citizens. This automatically causes an emotional reaction from the crowd.Antony knows that if he is able to show them what Cassius and Brutus did to Caesar he might be able to persuade the sides wanting to seek revenge.Antony appeals to Brutus makes the audience pity him for killing his best friend for what he thinks is the best for Rome.Antony generates sympathy for his cause by pausing to cry for Caesar. This shows the sympathy for Caesar it describes how Caesar wasn't just betrayed but deceived by someone he trusted only Brutus but he pretended.Antony brings up the battle of the Nervii he gets the plebeians to recall a day in the past when Caesar was alive to fight for Rome.This is

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Antony said he would not speak poorly about any of the conspirators, but he found away around it by using repetition (III,ii,84-96). He would question the characteristics of Caesar given from the conspirators to the people. Once he started to get the plebeians to think, he decides to show Julius’s stab wounds through his cloak. Antony tells them how he remembers the first time Caesar wore that cloak. Now, as he tells the story behind it, he has the people’s pity. With the people’s pity, they will beg to hear anything else about the great Caesar. Antony states that he has Caesar’s will with all the items Caesar gave to the great people, but he does not feel it is right to share the words written. The commoners beg until they hear it. Antony can now explain how the conspirators made even more of a mistake (III,ii,241-244;249-254).…

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Et tu Brute?” words came out Caesar’s mouth like a slap to the face. Brutus knew in his heart right then and there that things were going to go down hill. As soon as Antony heard what had happened at the capital, he knew that what he said in his speech would be to his advantage. The play written by early english playwright, William Shakespeare, is about the tragic death of Julius Caesar. It takes place in Rome, and tells the historical story of how Caesar was brutally murdered, and the terrible fate of the conspirators who killed him. At Caesar’s funeral, Antony presents a speech to the crowd, as well did Brutus. Antony, though, had the most effective speech, by using important literary techniques, such as pathos, ethos, and strategic word choice, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.”…

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Shakespearean play, Julius Caesar, was written by the famous playwright, William Shakespeare. Julius Caesar was an important figure in the Roman Empire, however, the play, Julius Caesar, is not necessarily about Caesar’s biography. Julius Caesar is mostly focused on Caesar’s death. After Caesars assassination, his two best friends Marcus Brutus and Marc Antony gave eulogies at his funeral. Marcus Brutus’s speech was about why he had to kill Caesar. He made several claims that it was for the good of Rome and the people. Marcus Brutus did not appear apologetic during his eulogy for murdering Caesar. On the contrary, Marc Antony’s speech was very uplifting and positive. He focused on the positive things Caesar did during his time as a Leader. Among the two speeches in the play, the one speech that had the most Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in it, was Marc Antony’s speech.…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "...Bear with me; / my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, / And I must pause till it come back to me." (JC III ii 47) Marc Antony's speech at Caesar's funeral was so cunning and powerful that it caused the crowd's loyalties to sway. Prior to Marc Antony's oration the crowd favored Brutus and the conspirators. However, Marc Antony's compelling discourse caused the plebeians to support him, and not Brutus. Marc Antony used three literary devices during his funeral oration, rhetorical question, sarcasm, and repetition, to successfully persuade the crowd.…

    • 602 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Using his sly ways, he convinces the audience at Caesar's funeral that rebelling against the murderers is not only what they need to do but what they want to do as well. What's even better is that he manages to make them believe that this decision was made on their own part; however, it was a plot that he subliminally embedded into their brains. After Brutus spoke citizens cried that "Caesar was a tyrant" (III.ii.72) and felt loyalty to the aforementioned. Accordingly, he cleverly juxtaposed "ambitious Caesar" (III.ii.27" with "the noble Brutus" (III.ii.79) to convince the listeners of Julius' true,…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    These excerpts from act 3 of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare shows a lot about the art of persuasion. This is due to many things that are said in both Brutus’ and Antony’s speeches at Caesar’s funeral. Despite this similarity, both of the speeches are very different from one another. While Brutus is trying to sympathize with Caesar’s fan while still trying to reason with them, Antony is very aggressive and mentions how Caesar didn’t deserve to be betrayed.…

    • 314 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During Act III, both of them give memorable speeches that explain beliefs. Brutus delivers a speech explaining why he helped kill Caesar. He states, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?” (3.2.21-24). He uses logic to explain that Caesar’s death was necessary for the well-being of Rome. Brutus thought that Caesar’s rule would threaten the well-being of Rome, so he took action to prevent that. At Caesar’s funeral, Antony gives an emotional speech to the Romans that turns them against the conspirators. Antony sees Caesar as an excellent ruler, and motivates the crowd to avenge his death. He provokes them with his will, and shows them Caesar’s dead body to show the injustice that has been done to Caesar. Both Brutus and Antony use their language and actions to persuade the people that they know what is…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Then Antony comes into the story to give his speech about Caesar. He starts off telling the Romans that “he is only there to bury Caesar, not to praise him”. Antony asks the citizens why they believed Brutus when he said “that Caesar was ambitious”, when they really never gave him a chance at being king. Antony says “yes Brutus is a…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Before Antony goes up to the pulpit to make his speech, Brutus says "You shall not in your funeral speech blame us". Antonys speech, though it is full of sarcasm and hate for the conspirators, technically does not break Brutus's rule. This wordplay shows how great an orator Antony is. Antony repeats over and over in his speech that Brutus is an honourable man. The effect of this repetition is that the crowd begins to question this statement that they previously thought was fact. Brutus told the plebians that Caesar was ambitious, and would not benefit Rome, but Antony asked rhetorical…

    • 387 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    finally inspiring them to act against Brutus and the others. By the end of the speech, the people are…

    • 852 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Julius Caesar's speech

    • 935 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Throughout Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, Caesar is killed by conspirators who believe he is too ambitious and needs to be prevented from going too far. Through the use of rhetorical devices, rhetorical appeals, and structural devices, Brutus, the main conspirator, persuades the crowd as to how the murder of Caesar was a noble act that would benefit them all.…

    • 935 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first line itself shows Antony’s persuasive power. It is in trochaic meter, which is very attention grabbing, as the crowd immediately calms down. Antony reiterates Brutus’s opening, changing only a few words. The line “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” (pg. 17, line 75) show Nomos, as Antony wants to find common ground with the people. The second line displays irony, as Antony is indeed here to praise Caesar. So here he is already proven manipulative, even though he has just started speaking. In the fourth line, Antony states, “The good is oft interred with their bones” (pg. 117, line 78). It is ironic, because he had just stated that he was not there to praise Caesar, he does. On the 5th line, the meter change may hint at the fact that he is trying to shift from praising Caesar to proving that Caesar was unfairly murdered. He then states …”the noble Brutus” and repeats this throughout the speech. He is causing the people to question or doubt if Brutus is noble or not. His quote, “The noble Brutus/Hath told you Brutus was ambitious”, subtly puts doubt into the listener’s minds. He then repeatedly says that Brutus is honorable, which is also a way of making the people doubt if Brutus is truly honorable.…

    • 1428 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ray Fearson’s performance of Mark Antony’s funeral speech in the Shakespear play ‘Julius Caesar’ is emotional and powerful. Fearson expresses deep emotions of anger, sadness and despair throughout his performance by increasing his volume and pausing at key points of his speech. Fearson uses many facial expressions and hand gestures to strengthen the pathos of his performance. Fearson emphasizes Mark Antony’s character traits of loyalty and charisma as he passionately and confidently speaks of Caesar as his faithful friend and refers to the Romans also as his friends and countrymen. Ray Fearson gives a powerful and gripping performance that makes the audience feel all the anger, sadness and despair Mark Anthony is feeling as he has lost a friend…

    • 124 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Soon after, Antony takes the stage with Caesar’s body and he “speaks not to disprove what Brutus spoke” but to speak what he knows (3.2.109). Antony tells the people that he has found Caesar’s will but he does not want to read it aloud. He is trying to paint Caesar as a saint who cared deeply about the plebeians and if they heard what was in Caesar’s will, their minds and hearts would stir with mutiny and rage because they would see the death of Caesar was unnecessary. The plebeians are soon begging to hear the will but Antony continues to say, “I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it. / I fear I wrong the honorable men / Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. I do fear it” (3.2.163-164). This only pushes the plebeians into more of a frenzy as they say the “honorable men” are “traitors” and that “they were villains, murders” (3.2.165;3.2.167). Soon Antony has turned the plebeians against the conspirators as he says, “But were I Brutus, / And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony (...) The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny”(3.2. 240-242). Meaning if he was Brutus and Brutus was him, then he’d stir up the plebeians and install in each of Caesar’s wounds the kind voice that would convince even the stones of Rome to rise up and mutiny. It was Antony’s plan all along to turn the people against the conspirators as revenge for killing…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In act III scene 2 of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar when Caesar is killed, the people of Rome are shocked and clueless about what happened. Antony, a strong ally to Caesar, promises to get revenge on the conspirators who killed Caesar. By making this promise, Antony gives a speech of the topic of Caesar’s death attempting to be neutral. Antony turns the frustrated and confused crowd into angry rioters by presenting Caesar’s will, talking about the betrayal of Caesar from Brutus, and telling the crowd that Brutus is an ambitious man.…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays