Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis
“It Is That I Love Brutus More” Mark Antony and Brutus’ speeches both successfully used rhetorical strategies to manipulate Caesar’s funeral rabblement, but only one can be the winner, Brutus. With superior logos and pathos, he captivated his audience with a short and sweet delivery.
Antony may have turned the crowd against Brutus in the end, but only had the opportunity to do so because his speech was after his opponent’s. In his speech, Brutus proved the better of the two when employing logos he says, “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” (Act 3, Scene 2, Page 2) This sentence puts a powerful image inside the listeners’ heads, making them see themselves and their
families …show more content…
as slaves under the iron fist of Caesar, had he still lived.
This image is enough for anyone to find justification in the assassination of their emperor. Now, in Antony’s speech he mentions how ransom money collected from prisoners Caesar held went to the state, not for his personal gain (A3, S2, P4), but while humble, the state of rome would remain unchanged after such act, the poor would still be poor and the rich would still be rich, not much of a reason to raise the pitchforks towards the conspirators.
We do, however, must credit Antony for his strong position on ethos. In his oration, he turns the crowd against Brutus with lines such as, “He was my friend, faithful and just to me, but
Brutus is an honorable man.” (A3, S2, P4) Antony repeats the second half of that line throughout his speech, ever so slightly questioning it, and getting the audience to do the same, in turn having them join his side. Brutus’ equivalent was lackluster in comparison, almost as if he is a poor salesman, he says, “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect for mine honor that you
may
believe.” (A3, S2) Here, Brutus is trying to gain trust with his audience, but does it simply by saying, ‘Trust me on this.’ In the field of ethos, Antony comes out on top.
Third and finally, each speakers utilization of pathos, using emotions to your advantage.
Here, both Antony and Brutus use pathos strongly. At first glance, when Antony says, “My heart is in the coffin with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me,” (A3, S2, P5) you are struck, as the crowd is, with empathy for Antony, but that does not leave no room for Brutus to capture their hearts. Brutus declares his intentions saying, “It is not that I loved Caesar less, but that I love Rome more.” (A3, S2) I interpret this as the people of the rabblement representing
Rome, and with that, Brutus’ declaration is, in a way, flattering the crowd, going on the idea that they are more willing to agree with someone who has established a respect for them, as compared to a more selfish method executed by Antony. The two prove strong in pathos, but
Brutus is victorious by way of blushing his audience’s cheeks.
In short, Antony has thwarted Brutus in taking the crowd by ethos, but Brutus took it home with logos and pathos, using the ability to plant an unsettling image in his listeners mind, justifying himself, and flattering his audience, subconsciously making them more easily agree with his claims. Overall, Brutus has emerged the winner of rhetorical strategy in his speech.
Antony may have turned the crowd against Brutus in the end, but only had the opportunity to do so because his speech was after his opponent’s. In his speech, Brutus proved the better of the two when employing logos he says, “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” (Act 3, Scene 2, Page 2) This sentence puts a powerful image inside the listeners’ heads, making them see themselves and their
families …show more content…
as slaves under the iron fist of Caesar, had he still lived.
This image is enough for anyone to find justification in the assassination of their emperor. Now, in Antony’s speech he mentions how ransom money collected from prisoners Caesar held went to the state, not for his personal gain (A3, S2, P4), but while humble, the state of rome would remain unchanged after such act, the poor would still be poor and the rich would still be rich, not much of a reason to raise the pitchforks towards the conspirators.
We do, however, must credit Antony for his strong position on ethos. In his oration, he turns the crowd against Brutus with lines such as, “He was my friend, faithful and just to me, but
Brutus is an honorable man.” (A3, S2, P4) Antony repeats the second half of that line throughout his speech, ever so slightly questioning it, and getting the audience to do the same, in turn having them join his side. Brutus’ equivalent was lackluster in comparison, almost as if he is a poor salesman, he says, “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect for mine honor that you
may
believe.” (A3, S2) Here, Brutus is trying to gain trust with his audience, but does it simply by saying, ‘Trust me on this.’ In the field of ethos, Antony comes out on top.
Third and finally, each speakers utilization of pathos, using emotions to your advantage.
Here, both Antony and Brutus use pathos strongly. At first glance, when Antony says, “My heart is in the coffin with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me,” (A3, S2, P5) you are struck, as the crowd is, with empathy for Antony, but that does not leave no room for Brutus to capture their hearts. Brutus declares his intentions saying, “It is not that I loved Caesar less, but that I love Rome more.” (A3, S2) I interpret this as the people of the rabblement representing
Rome, and with that, Brutus’ declaration is, in a way, flattering the crowd, going on the idea that they are more willing to agree with someone who has established a respect for them, as compared to a more selfish method executed by Antony. The two prove strong in pathos, but
Brutus is victorious by way of blushing his audience’s cheeks.
In short, Antony has thwarted Brutus in taking the crowd by ethos, but Brutus took it home with logos and pathos, using the ability to plant an unsettling image in his listeners mind, justifying himself, and flattering his audience, subconsciously making them more easily agree with his claims. Overall, Brutus has emerged the winner of rhetorical strategy in his speech.