Mark Antony's Tactics In Julius Caesar

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Antony’s Tactics
In many stories or plays, a protagonist appears and has a scheming plan to let chaos erupt. In the play ”Julius Caesar,” Mark Antony ends up being a protagonist and has a plan to make the people of Rome develop a massive amount of hatred for the conspirators. Cassius, one of the conspirators, knew that it was not a good idea to let Antony speak at Caesar’s funeral, but no one listened. Antony uses Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion to convince the people of Rome, which are “ Ethos, Pathos, and Logos”. Mark Antony uses a way, known as Ethos, to persuade through a person’s ethical state of mind and this causes the person to rethink their decisions constantly. “Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up to such a sudden flood of mutiny.” This statement is the opposite of what it actually means, because originally Antony wants the crowd to be stirred up and go attack the conspirators. He confused the crowd at first by making them feel this sudden urge of anger, and then he tells them not to feel this certain way. “They that have done this deed are honourable: What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it: they are wise and honourable, And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.” Antony says to the crowd that the conspirators are honourable men, but every time he says the word “honourable,” it loses its true meaning. Antony makes it clear to the crowd that he does not know the true meaning of why they killed Caesar, and this makes the crowd feel bewildered and even more furious at the conspirators. “O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel the dint of pity: these are gracious drops.” The people of Rome are easily influenced by one another because before Antony’s speech their emotions and feelings seemed under control. Then, Antony brings about Caesar’s assassination, and once a single person sheds a tear, this person causes a chain reaction of mass desolation of the Romans. The majority of people question the correct way to live their life, and Antony used this form of thinking to persuade people to
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“ I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice: was this ambitious?” Antony exclaims to the audience that Caesar was not ambitious, but was that a correct accusation? Antony wants the audience to feel this urge of sympathy for Caesar, but Antony recognizes deep down that he was indeed ambitious. “You all did love love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?” Caesar was once loved and admired by the majority of the Romans, and it did not matter what the circumstance was. Antony questions the Romans of why such a terrible deed has been done and they are not mourning. “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it comes back to me.” Once the assassination of Caesar occured, Antony was mourning very drastically and he wanted to seek revenge on the conspirators. He wants the crowd to also feel pity for him, because Caesar and Antony were inseparable together. Caesar’s assassination speech made the audience feel sympathetic, because they loved their leader dearly and wanted to show love and support to everyone who admired

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