Rhetorical Devices In Julius Caesar

Although people generally believe they are persuaded by ideas that they have discovered, William Shakespeare’s historic tragedy, Julius Caesar illustrates that an individual’s thoughts are inevitably shaped by external factors. Persuasion and suggestion are rhetorical skills that play central roles in Julius Caesar, but they also demonstrates how individuals bend towards words they want to hear when faced with a difficult situation. The play cautions the dangers and powers of rhetoric as a tool for manipulation and reminds us how easily and completely an audience can be both won and lost in terms of persuasion.
In the few early scenes we are able to see Cassius promoting his own views upon Brutus. He starts off undertaking the manipulation …show more content…
When Brutus recites a speech in the market place after Caesar’s death the speeches exemplify parallelism, verbal irony, and witty use of rhetoric. With the Roman public watching on eager to see a reprisal for the death of Caesar, Brutus uses the undetected technique of coercion on the Romans taking advantage of their easily susceptible minds. In his speech he proclaims his love for Caesar passionately stating “If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his”. With the public making up their minds, Brutus plays his pathos card, showing he really did care for Caesar but claims, “Have you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” .Here Brutus asks the Romans if they would rather be enslaved with Caesar living, or free with Caesar dead. In this case the citizens have their thoughts led astray by this rhetorical question which is focused on the positive outcome of Caesars death, away from the actual brutality and ruthlessness of the murder. Furthermore Brutus’ use of parallelism “As Caesar loved me, I weep for him /As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it/ As he was valiant, I honor him/ But as he was ambitious, I slew him” serves the purpose of directing the plebeians thoughts towards the fact that Caesars death was justified and that his reasoning behind the mutiny was that he loved Rome more than he loved Caesar. What this exemplifies is the power behind astute oration, where it is able to deceive individuals into believing they had themselves come to the conclusion whereas the idea was in fact