Characterization of Antony “Who then will dare to say I'm weak or timid? No, they'll say I'm loyal as a friend, ruthless as a foe, so much like a hero destined for glory (Euripides).” This quote said by Euripides can relate to the characterization of Antony in many ways. Three ways that it relates is by showing that Antony is persuasive, loyal, and ruthless. These are revealed in the novel Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare through what he says, how he says it, and reactions of others to himself. The first way William Shakespeare reveals Antony is through what he says. For instance, Antony was given permission by Brutus to speak to the citizens at Caesar’s funeral. Antony stated, “The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was a grievous fault..(For Brutus is an honorable man; so are they all, all honorable men)...whose ransoms did the general coffers fill. Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious.. I thrice …show more content…
For example, the citizens were on a manhunt for the conspirators. They then came across Cinna the poet and stated, “It is no matter; his name’s Cinna! Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going” (131). In other words, the citizens killed Cinna the poet simply because his name was Cinna due to the strong points Antony made to them during his speech about the conspirators. This conveys that the reactions of others to him show that he was a ruthless and persuasive leader. Another example of this is when Cassius asked Pindarus to kill him due to the fact that he thought they lost the battle. He stated “...Here, take thou the hilts, and when my face is covered, as ‘tis now, guide thou the sword” (181). Due to Antony’s ruthlessness and his strong army, it showed the reaction of Cassius to Antony and his army was upset and
In comparison to the perceptions both Cassius and Brutus have towards Caesar, is the perspectives of Antony and Caesar of himself. Antony looked at Caesar as a friend, a role model as well as a kind and deserving leader. This notion is exemplified through the use of emotive language “O mighty Caesar! /most noble blood of all this world/ the noblest man/ That ever lived in the tide of times”. Furthermore, the use of descriptive and connotative language throughout Antony’s
Antony uses an abundance of pathos in his speech. One example is: “Caesar was my friend and just to me” (III, ii, 86). Using pathos helps the audience make connections with him. He also reads Caesar’s will which makes the people feel guilty about turning against Caesar during Brutus’ speech. He shows them the stabs wounds on Caesar’s coat and names which conspirator stabbed him. The Roman people now feel pity and anger towards the conspirators. Overall, Antony was smart with his words and won over the Roman people better than
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
In Antony's speech in Act III scene ii of Julius Caesar, he uses verbal irony to change the audience's perspective of killing Caesar, and Brutus doing the right thing. Marc Antony's decision to use verbal irony in his speech was the main point of the audience joining Marc Antony and wanting to kill the
In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, although Marc Antony is allowed to make a speech at Caesar's funeral, he must not speak ill of either the conspirators or Caesar. Antony was infuriated with Caesar's assassination, and wants to seek revenge on his killers as well as gain power for himself in Rome's government. He must persuade the crowd that has gathered that Caesar's murder was unjust, and turn them against Brutus and Cassius. He tries to stir his listeners' anger, rousing them into action and yet say nothing bad about his enemies. Marc Antony uses several persuasive devices in his speech, which allows him to successfully convince the citizens of Rome to turn
By keeping his listeners thoroughly engaged, Antony is able to further develop on his purpose by utilizing diverse rhetorical devices. Near the beginning, he makes effective use of parallelism to list Caesar’s selfless deeds, like “when that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept”, which gives the effect that the list is so long that Antony cannot describe it in unique detail. Additionally, his parallel repetition of “Brutus says he was ambitious and Brutus is an honorable man” serves as sarcasm. By repeating each good action with these two lines, Antony is getting the audience to contrast Caesar’s endless good deeds with Brutus’s repetitive and conflicting argument. Further on in the speech, Antony uses proslepsis somewhat obviously to reveal Caesar’s will to the people. He tells them that he found “a parchment with the seal of Caesar...tis his will”, yet quickly stops himself from telling anymore. Therefore, the audience is intrigued by the will and its mention reengages any listeners who
First of all, Shakespeare/Antony was able to use logos as well as pathos. Brutus states “The question of his death is enrolled in the capitol” The logic in what he is saying is that his ambitions now lay in the questions in the capitol. Then Antony rebuttals with “He hath brought many captives home to Rome. Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill” He was able to destroy his ambition statement with a single lip movement giving an evidence that he is not ambitious. It was able to sway the people of Rome into believing and relate to some logic of the accomplishments Caesar was able to achieve. Which had brought home many people and reunited families that were once thought to be lost. Brutus was an honorable man and could be trusted, he was
By contrast Antony from Julius caesar heavily relies upon the power of language and its ability to exploit the human flaw that is emotion, and by doing so manipulate ones perception through a emotionally (pathos) driven argument. Antony has a greater understanding of the people and knows that they are passionate people who will be swayed by such talk. Also Antony unlike Brutus uses iambic pentameter this shows that he has a higher authority which would make the audience listen more carefully. After each argument Antony produces in Caesar’s defense, he uses irony through the lines “But Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man”. This line is repeated a number of times creating an anaphora. As well as slowly dismantling Brutus’
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?
Mark Antony, in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, was a brave, intelligent, pleasure-loving, and cunning man. He was loyal to his friend, Caesar, whom he considered a true friend. He looked at life as a game in which he had a signified part to play, and played that part with excellent refinement and skill.
Antony, another Julius Caesar character, employs three Machiavellian skills: using fickleness to his advantage,“...while you treat them well, they are yours” (Prince 3), and ruling by fear. Antony’s objective was revenge toward the conspirators for killing Caesar. Antony also successfully used the fickleness of the Roman people to his advantage. After Brutus explained why the conspirators had killed Caesar, the crowd was understanding and agreed with the conspirator’s actions. The Roman peasants are convinced; they even want Brutus as their new emperor, with better qualities than Caesar. The plebians say, “Caesar’s better parts / Shall be crowned in Brutus” (3.2.54-55). But the level of the masses’ support for Brutus did not deter Antony’s opinion of the wrongdoing of the conspirators. In Antony’s speech, he spoke both confidently and assertively, which led to Antony convincing the crowd to support his cause and fight against the conspirators. Additionally, in Machiavellian style, Antony understands the crowd’s perspective; they need praise to believe in Antony’s cause. Antony appeased the Roman masses when Antony
One must engage in very close reading of the text to determine the cause and the signs of change. Issues for discussion include whether Antony is carried away by personal power, whether he is driven by desire for vengeance to assuage his personal grief, and whether these things constitute a desire to act for his friend or for himself. Antony's final speech is essentially a repeat of Brutus' rhetoric following Caesar's murder, and Antony's transformation is complete.
Anthony and Cleopatra was written in 1607, following the incredible period that gave us Hamlet, Orthello, King Lear and Macbeth. Although sometimes hard to categorise, some put this play with Julius Caesar and Corialanus, the Roman plays: all three use Plutharch’s lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans as their primary source and all three have concerns steeped in historical and political questions. Shakespeare shows an impressive ability to assimilate the classical world in his own terms and this is partly a tribute to the strength and vitality of Plutarch’s writing. Yet, although Shakespeare alters Plutarch freely to match his own dramatic purposes, Plutarch’s power to speak for his time and place shines through Shakespeare’s
The tragic and untimely death of Julius Caesar, a condemned Roman tyrant, triggered William Shakespeare's creativity. In his play Julius Caesar Shakespeare writes of the treacherous conspirators, Marcus Brutus and Caius Cassius, and their plans to assassinate their Roman leader, Julius Caesar. The story continues to explain how Caesar's loyal friend, Marc Antony, helps avenge the brutal murder. After Antony receives soldiers to fight his battle, his character begins to change. The fair and faithful Marc Antony transforms to a darker and more deceitful character. Marc Antony is not suitable to rule Rome because he holds a grand desire of great power, his conceit