Manipulation Of Language In Julius Caesar

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Language, when used to manipulate, can solely cause war. Language can be used to manipulate others for the purpose of political change to the point of war. In Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, the power of language is represented by the use of strong language by characters to persuade others to follow them. Manipulation of the senators to kill Caesar and the manipulation of the plebeians, to the point of revolt leads to the unleashing of civil war. Cassius shows how figurative language can strike emotion in the minds of people in his forming of the conspiracy. Brutus and Antony reveal how the opinions of the masses can be changed with emotive language through manipulation of the plebeians. Language used to change the minds of people …show more content…
Cassius has proven physical superiority over Caesar, yet he furthermore uses the Metaphor of his weakness in power as a wretched creature to signify Caesar as a person wrongfully idolized. Brutus is shown that the plebeians idolize Caesar as a God above everyone else. The veneration of Caesar as a deity conflicts with the opinions of Brutus who is a firm believer in the betterment of Rome, not the establishment of a dictatorship. Moreover, Cassius manipulates Casca against Caesar, when he states “Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man most like this dreadful night that thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars as doth the lion in the Capitol.” (Shakespeare 1.3.73-76) Cassius uses metaphorical language to compare Caesar to a god, he uses the metaphor of a lion whose roar disrupts the entire capitol to show Casca that Caesar’s political might has risen to a godly state who has absolute power over Rome. Cassius enrages Casca with the idea of Caesar’s power, and convinces him that Caesar must be stopped. Likewise, going even further to convince Casca, Cassius utters “And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf But that he sees the Romans are but sheep. He were no …show more content…
When Brutus declares “Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak—for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak—for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak—for him have I offended. I pause for a reply” (Shakespeare 3.2.25-29). Brutus utilizes pathos at the end of his speech to emotionally trap the plebeians. He takes anyone in the crowd that might have doubts about their intentions and accuses them as a traitor against Rome. Specifically, Brutus accuses people against his ideas, of wanting to be enslaved, not being a Roman, and not loving their country. Such treacherous acts are an atrocity to the Roman people and for any Roman to indirectly admit to this by disagreeing with Brutus would plunge them into the status of a pariah. By being backed into this figurative corner the plebeians are forced to mentally agree with Brutus, they do not want to think of themselves as slaves or traitors to Rome. By exploiting the pathos of the plebeians Brutus is successfully able to manipulate them into agreement with the act of killing Caesar. Later, though Brutus’ plans are foiled when Antony

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