The Dramatic Significance of the Orations by Brutus and Antony in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

The Dramatic Significance of the Orations by Brutus and Antony in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

point occurs during the orations by Brutus and Antony after Caesar’s

death, that sends public outrage souring against Brutus and the other

conspirators involved in Caesar’s death. At first it seems Brutus has

the obvious upper hand, and Antony shows great respect for him. Yet

where Brutus’ reasoned, logical prose fail to permanently convince the

citizens the Caesar had to be killed, Antony, using colorful poetry

and emotional appeal, persuades the plebeians that there was no cause

for Caesar’s death, and those responsible must be punished.

Brutus is only able to convince the audience of his opinion

temporarily, because of a few vital mistakes. Brutus speaks in prose,

refusing to let emotion enter his speech and erroneously assuming that

the citizens, like himself, will be stoical enough to trust reasoned

logic over emotionally stimulating poetry. He uses simple, logically

reasoned prose in an attempt to better connect with the less educated

commoners. Yet Brutus fails to understand that what the citizens want

is not a reasoned explanation for Caesar’s slaying, but an emotionally

intense oration. Shakespeare – for whatever reason – depicts the

commoners in this scene to be extremely irrational with a mob-like

mentality. These commoners want to agree with Brutus, yet cannot truly

understand his logical arguments for Caesar’s death, that his ambition

could make him want to become emperor.