The Theme of The Play Julius Caesar
By: Ky’lexius Gwynn
The theme of Julius Caesar is persuasion. The definition of persuasion is the process of changing a person’s attitude or behavior toward some event, object, other person’s, or idea, by using spoken words, written words, and body language. Persuasion is one of the most powerful techniques a person can use to get what they want or need in life. Persuasion is structured by what the person is trying to effect. For example, if a little boy is trying to persuade his mom to buy him brand new Jordans shoes, he might tell her he has done all his chores and made A-honor roll. Moms enjoy having a clean home and being able to brag about their kids' intelligence. So, the mom decides to buy the shoes. The kid knew what his mother likes, he used these things to persuade her into buying him shoes. Persuasive power can be used for the good or the bad.
The technique of persuasion begins in “Act 2, scene 1”. To begin, Cassius strongly persuaded Brutus into killing Caesar. Brutus had once
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I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know. You all did love him once, not without cause:”.
In this piece, Antony shows that he was a firm supporter and lover of Caesar. It is obvious that his loyalty was not to Brutus and the conspirators, but he never said that to the citizens. Antony bashed Brutus in the most respectful way he could have; he stated the greater things Caesar has done. The use of Antonys wordplay led to comments from the crowd such as:
“They were traitors: honourable men!” and “Room for Antony, most noble Antony.” The mood change in the crowd was persuaded by Mark Antony.
The power of persuasion in Julius Caesar caused death, betrayal, success, failure, and so many more outcomings. Wordplay and manipulation were two very prominent skills used throughout this tragedy. Even in present times, persuasion is extremely
Brutus states," Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." III:2:20-21. Brutus says that he is doing his all for the sake of Rome and that Caesar's ambition scares him. Antony, on the other hand, proves that Caesar did not have much ambition, and that he loved his people. Antony says," You all did see that on Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse.
Persuasion is a very powerful weapon, even against the most stoic of people. In the Tragedy, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Cassius, a high class politician with bad intentions, persuades Brutus, an honorable, stoic high class politician and Casca to kill Caesar for the good of Rome, however, Cassius’ real goal is to get rid of Caesar because Caesar doesn’t like him. After killing Caesar, Brutus and Antony, Caesar's closest friend, make speeches at his funeral in order to persuade the public. Cassius, Brutus and Antony’s use of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in order to persuade the public, Casca, and Brutus shows that anyone can be persuaded by appealing to their emotions, motivations, and personalities. In the beginning of the Book Cassius uses anecdotes of Caesar’s weakness and faults, argumentum ad antiquatum, and ethos on Brutus to persuade him to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar, this works on Brutus and shows that anyone, even people as stoic as Brutus, can be persuaded by appealing to their motivations.
Throughout Antony’s speech, Antony calls Brutus “honorable” (Shakespeare 142) repeatedly, but with a sarcastic tone. Furthermore, even though he had accomplished numerous things for the Romans, Antony calls Caesar “ambitious” (Shakespeare 142) in the same sarcastic tone implying that he was not an ambitious leader.. This technique helped Antony manipulate the Plebeians’ opinion of Caesar. In another dramatic monologue, Brutus uses Flag Waving to justify the assassination of the beloved Julius Caesar. Flag Waving is described as a display of being patriotic or nationalistic towards one’s country. Brutus says Caesar must be killed because his insidious actions will bring Rome to ruin (Shakespeare 138). He tells the Romans that Caesar is too powerful and egoistic. As a result, the Plebeians are easily influenced by Brutus’s words and turn against Caesar. Finally, a propaganda technique used by Portia, Brutus’s wife, persuades Brutus to reveal his secret. Portia discovers that Brutus has been keeping something from her and is frantic to find out what it is. She uses the technique of Emotional Appeal to persuade Brutus. The technique of Emotional Appeal attempts to make an
In William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, two speeches are given to the people of Rome about Caesar's death. In Act 3, Scene 2 of this play Brutus and Antony both try to sway the minds of the Romans toward their views. Brutus tried to make the people believe he killed Caesar for a noble cause. Antony tried to persuade the people that the conspirators committed an act of brutality toward Caesar and were traitors. The effectiveness and ineffectiveness of both Antony's and Brutus's speech to the people are conveyed through tone and rhetorical devices.
Mark Antony is showing people how great Caesar was, and that he wasn't ambitious. He repeats the words “Brutus is an honourable man,” over and over again, almost like a mock or a dare. He is attempting to make the people see that Brutus isn’t honourable, that he killed their leader who they loved, which is not an act one would say about an honourable man. Mark Antony also goes on to slowly convince the people that the conspirators were nothing but murderers. Then he states this, “good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up to such a sudden flood of mutiny.
Rhetorical devices have been around for many centuries, and they are used to convince and persuade people to believe in their cause. These strategies exploit individuals by influencing them to feel sympathy or trust the speaker. In Julius Caesar, a historic tragedy written by the prominent Shakespeare, Antony’s brilliant rhetorical strategies are used to trump Brutus and prompt the Roman people to unite with his rebellion against the unjust butcher of the beloved Julius Caesar.
Because Antony ingeniously uses a plethora of logical, emotional, and credible arguments, he outshines Brutus’s speech, which lacks in verifiable evidence. Antony also seizes the power of rhetorical devices in a more effective way than Brutus to convey his message. This battle between their speeches reflects in the outcome of their war, showing the superiority of Antony’s persuasive ability. While Brutus may have been an “honorable man,” it was Antony that proved to be the more effective one.
In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Mark Antony—a loyal friend to Julius Caesar, the former emperor of Rome—gives a speech to the Roman commoners in order to persuade them to turn against Brutus, for Brutus and the conspirators had slain Caesar. Antony’s uses rough and sharp diction, a scornful tone, and honest anecdotes in order to achieve his purpose of manipulating the common people to take his side.
In William Shakespeare's tragic play Julius Caesar, an under appreciated factor of flattery and persuasion plays an important role in the choices of the leaders. Cassius uses flattery with Brutus. Decius uses flattery with Caesar, and Antony uses flattery with Brutus.
By manipulating Brutus into thinking the people have a certain view of Caesar, Cassius is able to convince him to do what he did not consider as an option earlier. If it had not been for Cassius leading him with the words of the Romans, Brutus may never have approved of Caesar’s death or joined the conspirators, as they wanted him to. transition. Antony’s successful rebellion is a product of manipulation. He is able to turn a large crowd that was opposing him and bend them to his will.
Cassius, an envious and ambitious man, did not approve of what Caesar was doing as ruler and believed that he had too much power over the senate and the people. To put an end to what he considered to be conspiracy, he fabricated a plan to eradicate Caesar. He attempted to persuade Brutus, one of Caesar’s good friends, to join their plot, but Brutus declined. Cassius, speaking of the decision Brutus made not to unite with them, told the other conspirators in the senate, “for who so firm that cannot be seduced?” He wanted to manipulate Brutus into joining their cause, therefore he and the other conspirators threw letters they wrote, pretending to be citizens, into Brutus’ window. (Shakespeare 12) When Brutus read these, he thought they were from citizens and was deceived into uniting with Cassius and the conspiring senators. Little did he know that the letters were not from the citizens, but were forgeries. He was only joining Cassius because he wanted to give the people what they wanted. This was a prime example of manipulation through both friends and documents. Brutus' friends used letters or do...
Mark Antony's Speech from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar Mark Antony’s funeral oration over the body of Julius Caesar in act three, scene two is the most important speech in the play and effects the development of the play as a whole in many ways. Firstly this speech falls in the play where we have seen Antony’s distraught reaction to the murder of Caesar and his letter vowing allegiance to Brutus in return for being able to live. Act three, scene one prepares us for Antony’s rhetoric as here he states that ‘Brutus is noble, wise, valiant and honest’ which fits in with him repeatedly stating ‘Brutus is an honourable man’. It becomes evident in this scene that Antony has an ulterior motive for forming this allegiance and asking to do the funeral oration when he is ‘swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar’ and then states that ‘friends am I with you all, and love you all’ but still wants to know ‘why and wherein Caesar was dangerous’. Thus we the audience are aware that Antony is not being honest with the conspirators especially when he speaks in a soliloquy of the anarchy he will create when he states ‘blood and destruction shall be so in use…that mothers shall but smile when they behold/
“Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare is the story of the assassination of Julius Caesar. Two speeches were made after his death, one being by Mark Antony. He uses many rhetorical devices in this speech to counter the previous speech and persuade the crowd that the conspirators who killed Caesar were wrong. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion and these many devices strengthen this by making points and highlighting flaws. Antony uses many rhetorical devices, all of which are used to persuade the crowd that the conspirators are wrong and Caesar did not need to be killed.
Antony begins with the now famous words, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”(3.2.62) In referring to the commoners as equals, they feel a sense of empathy even at the first line. This can be seen as a sort of ethos. He goes on to say that Brutus has said that Caesar was ambitious, and that this, if true, is a serious...
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” Abraham Lincoln proclaimed this while speaking about how people use power for both good and evil. Power puts a leader in the position to either corrupt their character or improve on it. In Shakespeare’s, Julius Caesar, there are many major themes. Many characters find their normal personalities sabotaged when they have power, while the other major theme in this essay is how those who are effective orators can easily change the minds of a crowd.