Rhetorical Analysis of Julius Caesar

To seductively use words to sway one’s opinion, to make even the most moral person have second thoughts, and to dissipate and weave through the human condition is the art of seduction in which we call, persuasion. The art form of persuasion, rhetoric is the use of rhetorical devices to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences. In the Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Cassius, a man with bad reputation and malicious purposes tries to convince or persuade Brutus, a trusted friend of Julius Caesar to join with the conspirators appealing to ethics, logic and emotion that make murdering Julius Caesar seem attractive.

Rome, once a republic, now under the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. In the eyes of the conspirators Caesar was growing too powerful, being that he wanted to become king.Out of spite and jealousy Cassius and other conspirators plot to kill the . Through his use of rhetorical devices,Cassius reveals the dark side of rhetoric by appealing to Brutus’ emotion, pride and honor through allusions,ethos, and pathos to persuade Brutus

Cassius's main purpose is to get Brutus to join the conspirators, to make the attempt to assassinate Julius Caesar seem more plausible once Brutus agrees. Brutus is a noble, honorable and highly respected man, yet nobility can be easily manipulated. He uses flattering words, pretends to be concern with honor, and alludes to respectable figures to convince Brutus. The audience that is excluded is the people of rome, because the people of Rome adored Julius Caesar and would most likely turn against Cassius.

Cassius’ first attempt at seducing Brutus, is trying to appeal to his vanity. He uses synonymous words such as honor and good virtue, creating a parallel structure. He goes on saying “That you...

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...uly patriotic. He even says “Brutus had rather be a villager/Than to repute himself a son of Rome. (I.ii.173-174) Obviously, this strategy is effective because Brutus becomes even more concerned about the issue later on.

Another approach that Cassius makes is using rhetorical questions in between the “I’s” and “We’s”. For example he says “ /Why should his name be sounded more than yours/?” (I.ii.143) His questioning begins to make Brutus rethink and redress Caesar, stripping him of all the glory that the people have cloaked over him, again making him the equivalent to a common man. This also

Through his use of rhetorical devices, Cassius successfully persuades Brutus, by twisting and swindling the human condition, convincing even the most noble to commence the unformidable act of the unjust. His misleading and dishonest conduct accomplished the main goal.