How Does Mark Anthony Use Figurative Language In Julius Caesar

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Many great leaders had been great orators as well. But on the other hand not all great orators are great leaders, Adolf Hitler was a remarkable orator but as most know he was anything but a great leader. In “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” Brutus and Mark Antony are pitted against each other in a oratoral battle for the hearts of the plebeians. Mark Antony uses; Sarcasm, Verbal Irony, and ethos. All while Brutus figurative language like; Using credibility, Emotion, and Logos. The Use of figurative language is used all throughout William Shakespeare plays. In the play it is used to manipulate people into thinking or doing what someone else wants. I believe Mark Antony is the superior speaker and rallying figure the the plebians. Mark Antony …show more content…

The use of credibility is seen in “ If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: --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 free men?” (Shakespeare Act 3, scene 2). This shows that he is credible because he was one of Brutus’s dear friends, and if he could do it then it must have been for a worthy cause. This passage also brings in emotion in several different ways, one that he loves the people of rome even more than his own friendship. Secondly it inflicts emotion that if Caesar was left in power that everyone would become slaves. This is a very outrageous claim but to many people at the time it was a real fear comparable to the fear of destruction during the cold war. If this would get people on the side of Brutus very efficiently if he kept on using these types of threats as to why Caesar wasn’t a true leader for rome. Unfortunately this wasn't enough to keep the plebeians on the side of Brutus. Some would say that Brutus had won but many would …show more content…

It is safe to say this due to the fact that the plebeians were persuaded to the side of Antony, by the end of the act all of rome is running rampant just as Antony wanted. Some would say Brutus was the better speaker but the only reason Antony persuade the plebeians at the end scene because he spoke last and it left the last impression on the people of rome. This is completely false and this can be said because if Brutus was a better speaker the people would have stayed by his side even after the speech by Mark Antony because as cliche as it sounds first impressions rarely don't stay in your mind especially after such a dramatic point in the play. Mark Antony won because he brought more emotion, and ethics into his speech with help of visual aid to create emotions that went by what he was fighting

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