Theme Of Speech In Julius Caesar

Throughout The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony shows and undying love for Caesar. In this drama, written by William Shakespeare, the story of the assassination of Julius is told, and Antony is, without doubt, Caesar’s most loyal and dedicated admirer. Even after Caesar dies, he is able to carry his legacy on through a powerful and moving speech during his future. As Antony delivers his speech, it is blatantly obvious that he is angered by Caesar’s death and feels great contempt for the conspirators of the vile plot. In fact, it seems that Antony could discourse for hours on end about how magnificent and valiant Caesar was. Although Brutus also gave a speech at the funeral in a desperate attempt the gain the support of the people, Antony …show more content…
For example, Antony asks “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” (Shakespeare 873). Of course, this question is not intended to be answered, but rather to give food for thought to the people of Rome. In essence, Antony masterfully uses this to plant the seeds of distrust in the words of Brutus into the minds of the people, and ultimately, he succeeds in doing so. Despite the fact that Brutus consistently stated that Caesar was too ambitious and dangerous, Antony was able to sway the people. In addition, Antony asks “When he [Caesar] did thrice refuse: was this ambition?” (Shakespeare 873). Again, Antony is questioning the judgment of those who plotted against the mighty Caesar. Furthermore, he is providing evidence – him being offered the crown three times – in order to show the population that Caesar was, in fact, not ambitious at all. Antony is able to create doubt amongst the citizens by using this form of rhetorical device. Lastly, Antony passionately questions “what cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?” (Shakespeare 873). In reality, this is probably the most effective rhetorical device in the speech, as Antony is able to evoke pure, raw emotion from the people. By chastising them for forgetting the incredulous being of Caesar so hastily, Antony forces the people to feel remorse and, eventually, anger at the …show more content…
For instance, Antony declares “he was my friend, faithful to just me” (Shakespeare 873). In this statement, he is appealing to people emotionally, as he proclaims that he was indeed quite close to Caesar, and that he could call him a friend. Furthermore, by calling Caesar a friend, he gathers pity from the people as they see him struggle through the anguish that comes with the death of a friend. Moreover, Antony gains extreme sympathy when he utters “my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me” (Shakespeare 873). In this scene, Antony turns away to appear as if he is in so much pain from the loss of Caesar that he cannot continue. This act cause emotional turmoil for the people of Rome, as they see the misery of Antony, and feel empathy and sympathy for him. Antony’s usage of pathos in this way enables him to gain the trust of the people, an important resource. Finally, Antony causes emotional uproar when he refuses to read Caesar’s will as “it is not meet you know how Caesar loved you” (Shakespeare 874). By claiming that Caesar did in fact love and care for the population, Antony gains support for his cause, and effectively turns the people against those who killed Caesar. Additionally, the people become angry, as someone who loved them so extensively has been ruthlessly murdered. While Antony has an impressive use