Julius Caesar Rhetorical Devices Essay

Rhetorical devices enhance a speaker’s argument by making the reader or listener question and think about the topic more thoroughly. In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Mark Antony’s funeral speech for Caesar persuaded the audience more effectively than Brutus’ speech because of his use of rhetorical devices such as logos, aposiopesis, anaphora.
Although much of Mark Antony’s speech presents a plethora of pathos, he uses logos very well to justify how Caesar was a good man because when presented with the crown “he did thrice refuse.”(Act III Scene 2) Antony is confused that Brutus would say he was ambitious for power when Caesar refused to be crowned the king of Rome three times. The logic behind someone who refuses the crown to one of the most powerful empires of all time is that they are not thirsty for power or ambitious, as otherwise
suggested. Antony’s use of logic changed the crowd’s mind or maybe just made them rethink Caesar. He gave them a logical point that caused them to think differently about Caesar after Brutus depicted him as ambitious. Antony also mentioned that when “the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept,” that an ambitious person would not cry when they see the poor. Most of Brutus’ speech was based on the logic of Caesar being ambitious but that claim was soon debunked by Antony. Brutus tried to convey the image of Caesar as being ¨ambitious”(act III, scene 2). Saying he was ambitious He justified slaying him because of his ambition. The crowd rallied more strongly after Antony’s use of logos than after Caesar’s.
As Antony should be after the death of his close friend, Caesar, his speech contained the use of aposiopesis.
Toward the middle of Antony’s speech, he begins to show his emotion by pausing saying his “heart is in the coffin there with Caesar” (act III, scene 2). Antony pauses to show his strong grief for the loss of Caesar and shows the crowd that it is a real tragic loss and not a victory as Brutus explains. Antony uses the way of playing with the crowds emotions to build their feelings toward the killers and show that Brutus did not persuade everyone. Brutus tried to pause his statements with questions toward the crowd and waited for their response to emphasize his point that ¨if any, speak; for him have i offended.¨(Act III, Scene ii, Line). Brutus consults the crowd for their opinion to reassure them that he is for the people. Brutus tried to further his points by ¨[pausing] for a reply” and act as if he is confident that the crowd agrees with him so he is not worried of an answer differing from his own.(Act III. Scene ii, Line). He paused as he asked the question so that someone may interrupt him with an
objection.
Antony is given permission to speak at the moment of Caesar‘s death so in return, he repeatedly praises the men who killed his friend by calling them “honorable men” more than ten times throughout his speech.(Act III, Scene ii, Line). His use of anaphora, repeatedly calling them honorable, was to show that he was not trying to say they were wrong but to indirectly turn the crowd against the killers of Caesar. Antony is also scared of the killers so he does not disgrace them because he is afraid of them killing him as well. Brutus also uses anaphora to try and persuade the crowd in his favor. He asks the crowd before him that if anyone present ,“for him i have offended”, should speak up.(Act III, Scene ii, Line). He employs the use of anaphora to make the crowd question whether or not they agree with him and the killers. Brutus uses the repetition of the phrase to create a sort of list of things for the crowd to question, wondering about each statement if they are offended.