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Influences on Shakespeare's works
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Julius Caesar Socratic Seminar Preparation - Sarah Collins 3 Paragraphs on Theme: 6+ sentences each “Sometimes the people who you love the most do the most damage.” This theme is seen in the play when Brutus, one of Caesar’s most faithful companions, literally stabs him in the back. Leading up to the murder, Caesar is unaware of Brutus’ true intentions. He has no idea that one of his best friends is plotting to kill him. Ultimately, this shows Caesar’s naivety. The warning signs regarding his murder were obvious, but he chose not to see them. If it were anybody else, perhaps they would have been able to see who their true friends were. (7) “Power given to the wrong person can destroy an entire society.” This theme is seen in the play when …show more content…
Nearly all the people involved have different positions in public versus private. A great example of this is Antony. When discovering Caesar’s body surrounded by the conspirators, he is quick to justify their actions. He tells them that he is on their side and that he will not stir up any trouble. However, after this scene, his position changes significantly. He vows to avenge Caesar and make the murderers pay for killing his best friend. …show more content…
In private, he vows to seek revenge for his dear friend. As a result, things are not always as they seem. (4) 3 Literary Devices: 2-4 sentences each “I am glad that my weak words have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.” (Act 1, Scene 2, Page 7, Line 177) This is an example of verbal irony, which is used quite a lot in the play. Cassius, the author of this quote, and Antony are the two most frequent users of sarcasm. In this specific example, Cassius has just finished arguing with Brutus. He says this to make a point of Brutus’ lack of commitment to a specific side. (5) “The evil that men do lives after them; The good is often buried with their bones.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Page 4, Line 74) This is an example of personification in Antony’s funeral speech. Although evil can not literally live, Antony says this to give peace to Caesar’s spirit. (4) “He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, to groan and sweat under the business, either led or driven, as we point the way.” (Act 4, Scene 1, Page 2, Line 22) This is an example of a simile used when Antony is talking about Lepidus, wondering whether he is fit to rule Rome. Antony says that Lepidus will carry his honors foolishly like a donkey carries gold, doing only what he is told.
Throughout his speech, Antony repeats the words “[Caesar] was ambitious” and “Brutus is an honorable man” to create a contrast between the two statements. (3.2.95-96). Through this repetition, Caesar successfully undermines Brutus. Everytime he calls Brutus an honorable man, he lists a positive trait of Caesar that contradicts Brutus’s claim that he was too ambitious. He tells the crowd about the times when Caesar showed compassion for the people and when he refused the crown thrice. Antony’s sarcasm about Brutus’s honor brings into question as to whether his honor deserved. This leads the audience to doubt their feelings upon Caesar’s ambition. Near the end of his eulogy, Antony uses apostrophe when he claims that “judgment ... art fled to brutish beasts” as a reason for why the Roman people believe Brutus. (3.2.114-115). Antony indirectly shames the crowd for their belief in Brutus in that Caesar was a tyrant. Fearing alienation of the crowd, he attributes this belief to a lapse in judgement that beasts have taken. Antony also makes a pun upon Brutus’s name when he comments “brutish beasts.” Antony implies Brutus has caused a lapse in judgement within the Roman people through his oration
The most significant example is when a ruffled tribune, Marullus, screams at a crowd of celebrating peasants You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things (1.1.39) while they were celebrating Caesar’s victory over his rival Pompey. Another prominent example of this style was used in Mark Antony's Eulogy in Act 3, where he said You are not wood, you are not stones, but men. And being men, hearing the will of Caesar will inflame you; it will make you mad (3.2.154) In this quote, Mark Anthony is dangling the will of Caesar in front of the already animated crowd, appealing to the fundamental want of knowledge, and in hopes of gaining an even stronger reaction from the gathered peoples. By using this quote in his speech Mark Antony allows a bound of pathos to grow between himself and the majority. He differs from the other tribunes, who compared these same peasants to stones. Caesar’s right hand man has planted a seed, making the audience believe that Anthony is truly on the side of the people while also believing Caesar was kind and devoted to the peoples of Rome. This seed continued to grow when the full realization of the departed senator deaths hit the Romans at the sight of his mangled body.
Playwright, William Shakespeare, in the play Julius Caesar, utilizes many instances of rhetorical devices through the actions and speech of Caesar's right-hand man, Mark Antony. In the given excerpt, Antony demonstrates several of those rhetorical devices such as verbal irony, sarcasm, logos, ethos, and pathos which allows him to sway the plebeians. The central purpose of Mark Antony’s funeral speech is to persuade his audience into believing that Caesar had no ill intentions while manipulating the plebeians into starting a rebellion against their new enemies, Brutus and the conspirators.
Honor: “Honesty fairness, or integrity in one 's beliefs and actions.” Honesty can be a good and bad trait to have, being too honest can affect a person greatly. In William shakespeare 's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Caesar returns to Rome having defeated Pompey. The Romans wanted to crown him king. later caesar is killed by conspirators due to his ambition. After his murder common people are enraged and a civil war breaks out across Rome. Many characters die along the way. Throughout the historical play Shakespeare points out many personality traits as characters struggle to gain or remain in power. A closer examination of two main characters reveals the results of human nature. Two main leaders, Caesar and Brutus share similar and
“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.” (1) In this sentence he is using pathos to invoke the audience, trying to put them in his own shoes by telling them that he conspired against Julius for their sake. “As Caesar loved me, I weep for him. As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he was valiant, I honor him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him.” In this quote he uses words of emotion such as love, rejoice, and honor. Brutus is trying to influence the audience into giving him sympathy by making the audience feel what he wants them to
...bitious,” says Marc Antony (950). Here at his funeral Antony speaks in honor of Caesar and gives compelling evidence as to why he not a bad man. “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff,” says Antony (950). It takes an honorable man to shed tears, but to weep? That takes honor. Caesar’s actions as Antony describes them creates the image of a wildly sympathetic character that many audiences can relate to.
In the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare shows how friends often betray each other. Julius Caesar is about to be crowned king of Rome, when some well-known Romans decide that it is not a good idea for this to happen. They form a conspiracy and kill Caesar. Brutus, an honorable Roman and a very good friend of Caesar’s, betrays Caesar by killing him for the good of Rome. Antony, Caesar’s best friend and another honorable Roman, betrays Brutus by turning against the conspirators. Cassius, a respected Roman, and Brutus betray each other by arguing and destroying their friendship. All this betraying lead to many deaths in the play.
Brutus has a naive view of the world. He is unable to see through the roles being played by Cassius, Casca, and Antony. He does not even recognize the fake letters were sent from Cassius. Then Brutus says,“You shall not blame us Antony, in your funeral speech, but speak all the good you can of Caesar.
With the use of pathos, Antony directly touched the emotions of the people by stating how greatly affected he was by the death of Caesar and how he did not deserve to die. Next, by the use of ethos, Antony reminded the people that they once loved Caesar and that he was a morally good
First of all, there is Antony, a raging triumvir after the death of Caesar. Anotony is a dear friend of Caesar and is truly devastated after his beloved friend's death. Antony feels that justice must take its course, for over Caesar's dead body he states, "O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth/ That I am meek and gentle with these butchers" (3.1. ). Antony then decides that he must get back at the conspirators and convince the public that the motives behind killing Caesar were unjust. In funeral speech Antony even makes it a point to refute what Brutus said in speech moments ago. However, the nether neither the public nor the conspirators comprehend his motive at first. Antony appears like he is just presenting another side to the story, but in reality he is refuting Brutus' speech and swaying the public towards his side. During his speech he even states, "I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke" (3.2. ). To the conspirators Antony appears like "one of Caesar's many limbs"( ). In reality he is plotting revenge.
Brutus recognizes that the “enemies have beat [Brutus and the conspirators].. to a pit” and believes it is honorable “to leap in” themselves “than tarry till” the enemies force them (5.5.23-25). Hence, Brutus requests his servant to assist him in committing suicide and finally utters “Caesar, now be still / I kill’d not thee with half so good a will” (5.5.50-51). Brutus’s action exhibits his understanding of the killing of Caesar, and now views it as irreparable. Furthermore, Brutus takes notice of the fights and unending deaths around him all due to his naivety and failure to judge people’s evil side. As a result, Brutus views suicide as the most appropriate “method” to retain his honor and dignity; otherwise, he would have to encounter the Roman citizens’ criticization and would be humiliated for his actions. In addition, Brutus requests Caesar to be done with his vengeance and to forgive him as he acts solely for the best of Rome, displaying Brutus to be a tragic hero who failed doing his best for good. Furthermore, the play ends with Antony’s summary of Brutus’s character leaving the audience to characterize Brutus to be the one who suffered the most and died in a tragic way. Antony describes Brutus to be “the noblest Roman of them all…/ [and have acted] only in a general
Brutus repeatedly says, “If any, speak, for him have I offended,” (III.ii.25). Brutus’ tactic is to try to force someone, or dare them, to disagree with him, which no one ends up doing. Brutus tries to make people fear him, which works for a brief period of time. Mark Antony, on the other hand, goes on the attack, rather than the defense, by repeatedly saying, “Yet Brutus said he was ambitious; And… he is an honourable man.” (III.ii.89-90). By going on the offensive side, Mark Antony uses the repetition of this extreme usage of irony and sarcasm to make the audience understand that all of this is Brutus’ fault and that he should be punished for his crimes, no matter his intentions. Both groups use similar rhetorical strategies to prove that Caesar should or should not be dead for what he has done, with differing results. Brutus and Mark Antony also use emotional appeals to persuade their audience that they are correct in the matter of the death of their esteemed
A later example occurs during the funeral oration by Mark Antony. Brutus logically gives his reasons that necessitated Caesar’s death. He informs them that he acted out of love of Rome and his desire to prevent tyrants from controlling her. The citizens embrace his words with cheers and understanding. However, their mood alters when Antony offers his interpretation of the situation. He passionately described the deeds Caesar performed in behalf of the citizens of Rome, which clearly contradict the opinion of the conspirators that Caesar was too ambitious. Antony carefully uses irony in referring to Cassius and Brutus as honorable men; the strategy wins over the citizens and they listen with growing anger to his words. He leads the citizens to the body and begins to show the brutal results of the murder while simultaneously influencing them to believe that the conspirators are murderers and traitors. Ultimately, Antony reads Caesar’s will, which leaves his parks, private estates, and newly planted gardens to the citizens of Rome.
In the play Julius Caesar, written and preformed by William Shakespeare, there are many characters, but two, Brutus and Cassius, stood out. The play begins in Rome where a celebration of Julius Caesar's victory over the former ruler of Rome, Pompeii. The victory leads to Caesar's betrayal by his jealous companions. Senators and other high status figures are jealous of Caesar's new and growing power, while others, like Brutus, fear the tyrannical rule Caesar could enforce. The conspirators, Brutus and Cassius being the most important, assassinate Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, better known as Antony, and Octavius Caesar, Caesar's heir to the thrown, revenge Caesar's death. Antony convinces the Roman populous to destroy the conspirators and eventually begins a war with Cassius and Brutus' armies. Both Cassius and Brutus commit suicide to save their honor and Antony and Octavius win the war. The characterizations of Brutus and Cassius show a distinct contrast in their character traits and motives for the assassination of Julius Caesar.
Shakespeare’s presentation of Antony as a tragic hero is superb, we are told of his highs and taken through his lows, we see him loving others and being selfish. He dies as a better person than the man we met at the beginning of the play and this is an important aspect of the tragic hero: that he has learnt something at the end of all his suffering.