Antony Is a More Persuasive Speaker Than Brutus, Essay Example

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Act III Scene II is evidence that masses are convinced by the display of emotions, not rationality. Brutus and Antony prepare to address the Romans regarding the murder of Caesar. Brutus is careful with his words; he uses countless devices to indicate the rationality of the murder. He utilizes dicaeologia, pysma, eroteme, isocolon, accismus, and anaphora to stir the audience. Antony, on the other hand, is overly emotional and he uses very few devices to show his feelings. Additionally, by his admission, he ascertains that he is not a seasoned orator and that he understands very little about literary devices. Regardless, by the end of Act III, the Plebeians are ready to die with Antony and burn Brutus alive. They have been moved to the point of tears by Antony’s emotions. Indeed, Antony is a more persuasive speaker than Brutus.

Brutus’ Speech

Although Brutus does not win the Plebeians, he indicates a unique way of rationalizing Caesar’s murder by using various figures of speech.

First, he gladly accepts the allegations imposed against him and excuses them as a necessity. Typically, when someone accepts the mistakes they have committed, they are deemed, honest people. Besides, the Act begins after Brutus has killed Caesar in a public forum. To deny the claims would be to undermine the Romans’ autonomy. He, instead admits his fault and excuses his actions as patriotic. He says, “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. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (Shakespeare 3.2. 20-24). He further justifies his actions by stating that Caesar was overly ambitious and that his power had corrupted him. He says in part, “… 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. There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and death for his ambition” (Shakespeare 3.2. 26-30). To effectively excuse the murder, Brutus mentions that even Antony, the main critic, will benefit from Caesar’s death (Shakespeare 3.2. 45). This statement completely stirs the people and they declare their support to Brutus. In fact, some people even support Brutus be made the new Caesar; “Let him be Caesar. Caesar’s better parts shall be crowned in Brutus” (Shakespeare 3.2. 54-55). Accordingly, Brutus utilizes dicaeologia to stir the audience. Indeed, Brutus’s refusal to be made the new Caesar is his greatest undoing.

Second, Brutus effectively issues successive questions that require complex responses. In the lines “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?” it is clear that Brutus is asking complex questions about citizenship (Shakespeare 3.2. 54-55). These questions strengthen his argument and dissuade listeners from exploring other points. Just like dicaeologia, pysma serves to stir the audience.

Third, Brutus refers to rhetorical questions that affirm the benefits of killing Caesar to sway the audience’s mind. For instance, Brutus asks “Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?” to show that the killing of Caesar served a utilitarian value (Shakespeare 3.2. 24-26). He further asks, “Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman?” to state that any Plebeian who does not appreciate Caesar’s death is not a true Roman (Shakespeare 3.2. 31-32). Again, the use of eroteme incites the crowd to support Brutus.

Fourth, Brutus utilizes sentences composed of four phrases of similar structure and length to make his argument memorable. He says, “There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valour; and death for his ambition” (Shakespeare 3.2. 28-30). The phrases “joy for his fortune,” “honor for his valor,” and “death for his ambition” are of similar structure and length and interest the audience to listen and remember Brutus’ arguments. Indeed, Brutus utilizes isocolon to manipulate the listeners.

Brutus feigns a lack of interest in being hailed as the savior. Since Act II, scene I, Brutus is convinced that the Plebeians are in protest against Julius Caesar. He takes it upon himself to kill Caesar and yet when the people hail him as the future Caesar, he feigns disinterest and encourages them to listen to Antony. This accismus is his greatest undoing but it also serves to paint Brutus as an honest man. Indeed, it is because of this feigned indifference that the crowd defends Brutus as Antony climbs the podium. People say, “Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here. This Caesar was a tyrant” (Shakespeare 3.2. 75-76). So, Brutus also used accismus to sway the audience.

Finally, Brutus repeats certain words for vehemence. Brutus’ plan is to excuse the murder of Caesar. To do so, he repeats certain words that indicate that any true Roman would be glad that Caesar is dead. He says, “Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended” (Shakespeare 3.2. 31-33).  By repeating these words, Brutus successively manipulates the device anaphora to entice the crowd.

Antony’s Speech

Antony seems concerned with the emotional aspects of Caesar’s death. He gauges the honor of his killers and demonstrates the hurt from Caesar’s death.

Antony is fond of repeating various words for emphasis. For instance, he says, “And Brutus is an honorable man; So are they all, all honorable men” (Shakespeare 3.2. 81-82). The word all is repeated in the same line. The repetition makes the audience question the honor of Brutus and his conspirators especially because Antony repeats these two lines frequently during his speech. Besides, Antony is being sarcastic because he does not support the murder of Caesar. In the end, therefore, Antony utilizes epizeuxis to poke holes into Brutus’ honorable deed.

Other than epizeuxis, the orator repeats the same words after intervening matters to foster doubt regarding the morality of Brutus. People see Brutus as a morally-upright and honorable man. After the speech, the audience is in support of Brutus. To dissuade the crowd, Antony prefers to undermine Brutus’s honor by repeating the words honorable to casts doubt. Using the above example, it is clear that Antony utilizes epanalepsis with the repetition of “honorable man” after the words “so are they all.” Epanalepsis guides the audience to question the honor of murder.

Importantly, Antony breaks off from his speech to portray how he is overcome by emotions. Indeed, aposiopesis proves to be the most effective tool for Antony to dissuade the audience from supporting Brutus. Antony states, “Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it comes back to me” (Shakespeare 3.2. 115-117). Immediately after stating this, Antony breaks down and cries. The weight of the words preceding the break down coupled with the break down itself sways most of the crowd members. Indeed, one person says, “Me thinks there is much reason in his sayings” (Shakespeare 3.2. 118). Another member states that “There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony” (Shakespeare 3.2. 128). Going forward, Antony is sidetracked again by his pain over the death of Caesar that he forgets to read the will. At this point, most of the crowd members have shifted their support to Antony.

Antony excites the audience from a stupor by introducing Caesar’s testament. He further employs reverse psychology by stating that the will might upset the audience. The crowd is more interested in the will after this manipulation (Shakespeare 3.2. 153). This use of the excitation device finally dissuades all members from supporting Brutus. As it turns out, Caesar, though a tyrant, had left the members some gardens and other valuables. The crowd sets out to revenge the death of Caesar.

Conclusively, Antony is a more persuasive speaker than Brutus. Julius Caesar Act III Scene II is evidence that masses are convinced by the display of emotions, not rationality. While Brutus utilizes dicaeologia, pysma, erotema, isocolon, accismus, and anaphora to show the logicality of Caesar’s murder, Antony only employs epizeuxis, epanalepsis, aposiopesis, and excitation to demonstrate the emotional impact of Caesar’s murder. In the end, people forget that Caesar was a tyrant and vow to avenge his death.

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar: Act 3, Scene 2 Translation. Shmoop, 2021 https://www.shmoop.com/julius-caesar/act-3-scene-2-translation.html. Accessed 14 March 2021.