Imagine losing a best friend and never saying goodbye.Imagine witnessing their last breath as they are brutally murdered. Imagine having to stand in front of a crowd trying to reason their death. In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy Julius Caesar, Mark Antony has to fill these dreadful shoes after witnessing the murder of his closest friend, Julius Caesar. In Act III, Antony stands in front of the group of Plebeians after they have just listened to Brutus, the conspirator’s, reasonings as to why Caesar deserved his death. Mark Antony uses compelling rhetoric, to switch their mindsets, so the commoners pledge to his words instead of Brutus’s. Some may believe Brutus’s leadership skills make him a great speaker, but Mark Antony’s powerful, raw words
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Since the commoners are dealing with the loss of their beloved soon-to-be king, they are extremely vulnerable. Antony uses their vulnerability while displaying pathos in order to make the crowd act on their emotions. The first three words Antony speaks to the crowd immediately shows his love for the people when he addresses them as his “[f]riends, Romans and countrymen” (III. ii. 73). While he is simply addressing the crowd, they immediately feel his welcoming characteristics, since he calls them his ‘friends’. Brutus did in fact use these words too, but he addresses them as “[r]omans, counrtymen, and lovers” (Act 3 Scene 2 Line 13). Brutus only aims to be heard, not to be loved, however Antony wants acceptance, and passion for his cause. As Mark Antony receives the crowds acceptance, he also attempts to receive acceptance from his ‘friends’ on Caesar’s behalf. Antony uses pathos once again when trying to convince the people of how much love Caesar had for them. He states on Line 91 of Scene ii “when that the poor hath cried, Caesar hath wept” (III). Antony’s vigorous use of the word ‘wept’ reiterates Caesar’s deep care for his people. Other powerful words of Antony’s in Scene ii, such as grievous, rage, and mourn contribute to the use of pathos in Act III. Antony strategically uses pathos to light a flame under the people who are very capricious, in hopes that their deep emotions will cause them to act on their feelings. As Mark Antony exhibits his raw emotions, he is able to quickly get the commoners to follow his word. His use of Pathos gives him the ability to explain his feelings while allowing the people to feel like they have been expressed at the same
Since the commoners are dealing with the loss of their beloved soon-to-be king, they are extremely vulnerable. Antony uses their vulnerability while displaying pathos in order to make the crowd act on their emotions. The first three words Antony speaks to the crowd immediately shows his love for the people when he addresses them as his “[f]riends, Romans and countrymen” (III. ii. 73). While he is simply addressing the crowd, they immediately feel his welcoming characteristics, since he calls them his ‘friends’. Brutus did in fact use these words too, but he addresses them as “[r]omans, counrtymen, and lovers” (Act 3 Scene 2 Line 13). Brutus only aims to be heard, not to be loved, however Antony wants acceptance, and passion for his cause. As Mark Antony receives the crowds acceptance, he also attempts to receive acceptance from his ‘friends’ on Caesar’s behalf. Antony uses pathos once again when trying to convince the people of how much love Caesar had for them. He states on Line 91 of Scene ii “when that the poor hath cried, Caesar hath wept” (III). Antony’s vigorous use of the word ‘wept’ reiterates Caesar’s deep care for his people. Other powerful words of Antony’s in Scene ii, such as grievous, rage, and mourn contribute to the use of pathos in Act III. Antony strategically uses pathos to light a flame under the people who are very capricious, in hopes that their deep emotions will cause them to act on their feelings. As Mark Antony exhibits his raw emotions, he is able to quickly get the commoners to follow his word. His use of Pathos gives him the ability to explain his feelings while allowing the people to feel like they have been expressed at the same