In Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, the character Mark Antony remains the same throughout the play making him a static character. Antony’s character has a wide variety of character traits but most of them remain unchanged throughout the play. And so even though Antony is a well rounded character he is still static because his many character traits remain the same. Some examples of Antony’s traits that remain constant are his loyalty to Caesar, his manipulative behavior, his selfishness, and his honor. Antony is loyal to Caesar from the beginning of the play through the end of it. He shows his loyalty to Caesar at the beginning of the play when he says “I shall remember: when Caesar says ‘do this,’ it is perform’d.” (1, 2, 93). When Antony says this he is only responding to Caesar’s request to touch his wife Calphurnia as he runs past in a race but this still shows Antony’s willingness to follow what Caesar says. When Antony says this he is essentially stating that he is willing to follow any order that Caesar gives him to demonstrate his loyalty. Antony demonstrates his loyalty again later in the play …show more content…
His first display of honor was when after Caesar was killed he vowed to seek revenge by saying “domestic fury and civil strife will cumber all the parts of Italy” (3, 1, 278-279). Antony believes that a civil war is what is needed to stop the conspirators from gaining power and to avenge Caesar’s death. This part of the play shows that Antony is honorable because he is respecting his friend by avenging his wrongful death. At the end of the play Antony has another display of honor when he pays respect to Brutus by saying “this was the noblest Roman of them all” (5, 5, 74). In this line Antony recognizes Brutus’s integrity. He shows that he has respect for Brutus’s character even though he was one of the conspirators. Antony’s honor remains with him for the entire course of the play making it a constant
Antony uses his speech as a way to counteract everything Brutus states and to win over the people. Antony's credibility is being Caesar's friend and not once backstabbing him in the back like Brutus did. Antony is able to prove to the people that he is an honorable man as he did not go against Caesar and was a true friend to him. He relies on repetition as a way to get his point across and facts to counteract Brutus' claims. He states how although Brutus claims that Caesar was ambitious his actions do not prove that to be so as he cared for the poor and treated them with kindness, paid for the ransoms of prisoners, and declined the crown three times in a row, "He hath brought many captives home to Rome/ Whose ransom did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
In one situation he shows Caesar’s dead body and in the second he talks about the will of Caesar to gather the people’s attention, but he claims he isn’t calling attention to it. Unlike Brutus, Antony utilises a “prop”, Caesar’s bloody body, and in doing so he allows his words to be far more effective by calling attention to each and everyone of his wounds and claiming to have seen where each of the conspirators placed their daggers (Shakespeare III. ii. 140-165). To begin with, Antony had not witnessed Caesar’s stabbing, but he incorporated this part into his speech, because he knew it would affect the people’s hearts. Here, he utilises pathos by bringing out the people’s emotions and ethos by robbing Brutus and the conspirators of their credibility. Throughout Antony’s speech there are also instances of paralipsis, for instance, Antony states, “’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs,/For if you should, O, what would come of it?” (Shakespeare III. ii. 114-115). Antony is clearly drawing attention to the supposed will in an attempt to sway the people to his side. This technique is incredibly effective, because not only is he talking about the people receiving an inheritance, but he’s also showing them that Caesar cared deeply for them. Antony is also causing the people to question the purity of the conspirators’ intentions by showing the people that Caesar never wronged
Julius Caesar’s, one of the main leaders of Ancient Rome, reign was short lived because some of his fellow leaders, including his best friend, Brutus, murdered him. Mark Antony, a Roman politician, general, and ally of this leader, gives a speech at his funeral in William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar. Antony’s purpose is to convince the people of Rome that Brutus and his men wrongfully murdered Caesar. He adopts a sarcastic and snarky tone in order to convince the public that Brutus and his “honorable men” are not the noble, just people that they call themselves. Mark Antony delivers a speech at Julius Caesar’s funeral to persuade his audience that Brutus and his men unjustifiably murdered Caesar.
Caesar respected Antony, and his way of life. He defended him when he said, "See! Antony, that revels (makes merry) long a-nights, is notwithstanding (however) up. Good morrow, Antony" (2.4.116-117).
Mark Antony appeals to the Romans' sense of ethos to establish himself in their eyes as a noble man, and to surreptitiously separate the conspirators' from their lofty reputations. Specifically, Antony mentions that he has the power to "do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong, who, you know, are honourable men", but he "will
To keep the people from becoming too hostile during his eulogy, Antony refrained from speaking ill of Brutus and repeated multiple times "And Brutus is an honorable man," (). This repeated sarcastic remark proves how Antony did have the speaking skills he needed to slowly guide the townspeople towards his side. He used sarcasm to falsely portray that he has respect for Brutus when in reality, he knows just how to handle the crowd.
“If we do meet again, we’ll smile indeed. If not, ‘tis true this painting was well made.”
It is important when making a speech that one considers all sides of a case. Brutus does not know how Antony truly feels. He also depends on his own integrity and honor as his way to justify his actions. While Brutus asks the audience questions, the way he asks them does not allow the crowd to truly think and reflect. When Antony asks questions, he asks them in a manner that provokes deeper thinking in the audience. When Brutus is making his case, he does not give any room for the crowd to consider that if Caesar had been made king, good could have come out of it instead of all of the bad possibilities mentioned. Antony knows why Brutus and the Senates kill Caesar and plays that to his advantage when he mocks them in his speech. While he continuously states as promised that Brutus and the others are all honorable men, he manipulates the situation by throwing in examples of acts that Caesar has done that were enriching and compassionate. He then continues to ask the crowd if what Caesar did was ambitious. One of the examples that he states asking about Caesar is, “You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?”
His manner in the way he manipulated the crowd was much cunning than Brutus’s speech. The way he is able to read the crowd and state information that will connect with the audiences emotions. His speech is also much longer than Brutus’, and more effective. Initially, Antony says, “I have to come to bury Caesar, not to praise him” (III.ii.33) which is not true; he basically came to fault the conspirators and tell the crowd to do something about it. Antony also says that he came not to counteract any of Brutus’s words…. but thats exactly what he does. Antony uses reason in his speech when saying that Brutus is ambitious: “I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition” (III.ii.105-106). This ultimately shows Antony’s use of words in his speech are full of irony, acting like he is supporting Brutus by saying, “Brutus is an honorable man” (III.ii.108) which is actually not what he means. His speech is filled with notions and suggestions that is meant to undermine the audiences belief in Brutus. By the time Antony mentions the fourth “honorable man”- the audiences catches on and Brutus and the conspirators are traitors in their eyes. Antony’s use of sarcasm allows for the crowd to fill in the blank of what Antony’s trying to say without breaking the agreement with the conspirators. Antony’s able to manipulate the crowd in such a way that he is able to tell
Antony values Caesar as a friend and as a role model, he uses ethos to display this throughout his speech. Antony says, “The good is oft interred with their bones, (III, ii, 84).” This shows how Antony values the way people see Caesar. The crowds morals were not in the same place as Antony’s after talking to Brutus. Antony uses ethos to show the crowd why they should care and change their perception on Caesar's death. He continues in saying, “ He was my friend, faithful and just to me,(III, ii, 93).” Antony values his friendship with Caesar, this shows the crowd Caesar was a reliable and genuine person and not just ambitious.He also says, “ O, now you weep, and I perceive you feel, (III, ii, 203).” Antony shows he relates and sympathises with the people and what they expected from Caesar before he
In the play, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the author frequently uses figurative language to persuade the people of Rome to listen to a certain character. For example my character, Antony, has many places in the play where he uses the techniques; ethos, pathos and logos to persuade or draw the audience to his side. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!” This is one of the most commonly known use of ethos in the funeral speeches. He uses this phrase to try to get into the Roman crowd’s hearts with his reputation as a trustworthy person. Antony uses pathos in his first speech saying that “He was my friend, faithful and just to me.” He shows that Caesar was a man who is trustworthy and was wrongfully killed. Logos is used to persuade someone. Antony uses a lot of facts throughout his funeral speech. One of them
Antony is a soldier foremost, and his actions at the moment, that of wealth and slack are not becoming of a soldier or, Shakespeare thinks, even a man. This point is made even more solid when Antony himself says it; “O, my fortunes have/Corrupted honest men!”(IV.v.16-17). It hardly gets any plainer than that.
In his speech he uses the repetition of his sarcasm to make people think about what is really going on. While Antony is making the citizens of Rome think, they soon begin to catch on to his sarcasm. One thing Antony continuously repeats throughout his speech is how Brutus is an honorable man. Anotony would explain something Caesar did for the good of Rome and then say how even though Caesar did all this good, Brutus said he was ambitious, but Brutus is an honorable man. Antony mentions this about six times in his speech which lead citizens to question Brutus’s
After Brutus finishes his speech, Antony speaks about his opinion on the issue; unlike Brutus, Antony acts slyly and communicates a very manipulative tone to persuade the Romans to rebel. Because of Antony's use of parallelism, he creates vivid reasoning for his speech. He states, “ I come here to bury Caesar, not to praise him” (III.ii.44). By using this device, he shows the people of Rome that he isn't praising Caesar, he is putting the leader to rest. This particular line creates a very manipulative tone, because his speech is all about what great this Caesar has done and how he wants to rebel against the conspirators. Further more, Antony uses a lot of irony to slyly get his point across. One example that he uses throughout the speech is “Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is a honorable man” (III.ii.44). Because of the repitition of this ironic statement, the meaning of it changes and intensifies. At first, his tone was sincere, but as the speech progresses, you can see his sarcastic tone increases. Antony does this because he has to use this device to surpass the regulations of Brutus, as well as make the romans listen. Lastly, he uses personification to give life and further meaning to a word. Early in the speech, Antony says, “The evil
On a slightly different note, Antony later expresses an opinion that causes the reader to question the validity of his earlier statements. “This is a slight unmeritable man, / meant to be sent on errands” (JC 4.1.13-14). While speaking directly to Lepidus, Antony seems to be remotely kind and friendly. However, once Lepidus leaves the room to complete Antony’s requests, Antony complains about him endlessly to Octavius... If he is capable of being that secretive of his true opinions about Lepidus, who is to say that he is not doing something of a similar manner whilst speaking of Julius Caesar? How can he be sure that his cover, word and plot manipulation, will keep everybody happy forever? There seems to be no one-hundred percent certainty that Mark Antony is truly a whole, good, and honest man.