Julius Caesar

Section: Book Reports

He sounds very sincere when he says, The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious… For Brutus is an honorable man. He repeats that statement three more times becoming increasingly sarcastic, saying finally, Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and sure he was an honorable man. Since the people responded positively to Brutus´ speech, Antony could not insult Brutus´ honesty in a direct manner. Yet, Antony disproves Caesar´s ambition with three examples. One is when he gave the ransom of captives to the public treasury and not his own, another when he cried with the poor people, and finally when he refused the kingship that Antony offered him, three times. Anyone who was ambitious would never have done any such things. Antony says, I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke., but that is exactly what he does. Antony is using a dramatic effect on the people, first by entering on the stage with the body of Caesar, and at the end stating that his heart is still with the body of Caesar, ending his speech weeping. In justifying Caesar and disproving Brutus, the people see Antony as a potential successor to Caesar. They are swayed to him by his dramatics, his underhanded way of making a point, his repetition, and compelling proof of Caesar´s concern. He is able to get the people to question the rightness of killing Caesar. He has planted doubt in the people´s minds, in all areas except that he, Antony, is, poor soul, an honorable. The difference between the eulogies shows us the importance of style of speech. Both try to appeal to the people, and both use repetition, but Brutus takes a defensive approach, leaving the people to their own conclusions. However, Antony takes a prosecuting approach against Brutus, so sneaky that it is almost subliminal. Furthermore, Antony´s examples give him an advantage over Brutus because he backs up statements while Brutus leaves his statements more open-ended. The people seem to find it easier to accept Antony, an emotional and sincere speaker, than Brutus who appears arrogant and forceful.

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