Topic: Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Volume: 4 pages
Type: Essay
Format: MLA
Description
Guidelines: This essay is devised to help you work with rhetorical devices within argument. Your task is to read the selected passages from Act III, scene II of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, focusing on the speeches by Brutus and Antony (i.e. read but ignore the words of the citizens unless they are relevant to your argument).
Instructions: You will compose a thesis which directly answers this question: Which speaker is more persuasive? Please build a defense by weighing the effectiveness of the rhetorical devices employed by each. In this process you might also consider the motivation of each person as well as the reaction of the audience. Think about which character makes a more effective appeal for his case based on his desires.
More instructions: This essay requires a thorough understanding of rhetorical devices. In order to acquire this understanding, you will need to use the byu rhetoric website line and do some independent study. Below I have listed some important terms in alphabetical order. Learn these and work them into your essay where necessary.
Accismus
Adynaton
Alliteration
Anaphora
Anthypophora
Anticategoria
Antimetabole
Antistrophe
Aposiopesis
Asyndeton
Conduplicatio
Diacope
Diasyrmus
Dicaeologia
Epanalepsis
Epizeuxis
Erotema
Excitatio
Isocolon
Paralipsis
Paramologia
Polysyndeton
Ploce
Pysma
Ratiocinatio
Length: Four double-spaced pages in MLA form.
Note: No Works Cited pages is required. Simply identify the act and scene (as well as the author and play title) in the stakes of your introduction.
Here is the excerpt from shakespeareonline.com:
BRUTUS Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my
cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me
for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge.
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. Had you rather Caesar were living and
die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live
all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his
fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his
ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.
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? If any, speak;
for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. 33
All None, Brutus, none.
BRUTUS Then none have I offended. I have done no more to
Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of
his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not
extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences
enforced, for which he suffered death. 39
Enter ANTONY and others, with CAESAR’s body.
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: who,
though he had no hand in his death, shall receive
the benefit of his dying, a place in the
commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this
I depart,–that, as I slew my best lover for the
good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself,
when it shall please my country to need my death. 46
All Live, Brutus! live, live!
First Citizen Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
Second Citizen Give him a statue with his ancestors.
Third Citizen Let him be Caesar.
Fourth Citizen Caesar’s better parts 50
Shall be crown’d in Brutus.
First Citizen We’ll bring him to his house
With shouts and clamours.
BRUTUS My countrymen,–
Second Citizen Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.
First Citizen Peace, ho!
BRUTUS Good countrymen, let me depart alone, 55
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony:
Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar’s glories; which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allow’d to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart, 60
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
Exit
First Citizen Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.
Third Citizen Let him go up into the public chair;
We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
ANTONY For Brutus’ sake, I am beholding to you. 65
Goes into the pulpit
Fourth Citizen What does he say of Brutus?
Third Citizen He says, for Brutus’ sake,
He finds himself beholding to us all.
Fourth Citizen ‘Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.
First Citizen This Caesar was a tyrant.
Third Citizen Nay, that’s certain:
We are blest that Rome is rid of him. 70
Second Citizen Peace! let us hear what Antony can say.
ANTONY You gentle Romans,–
Citizens Peace, ho! let us hear him.
ANTONY Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them; 75
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer’d it. 80
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest–
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men–
Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me: 85
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? 90
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal 95
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, 100
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me; 105
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
First Citizen Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
Second Citizen If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong.
Third Citizen Has he, masters? 110
I fear there will a worse come in his place.
Fourth Citizen Mark’d ye his words? He would not take the crown;
Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.
First Citizen If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
Second Citizen Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
Third Citizen There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony. 116
Fourth Citizen Now mark him, he begins again to speak.
ANTONY But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there.
And none so poor to do him reverence. 120
O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men:
I will not do them wrong; I rather choose 125
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar;
I found it in his closet, ’tis his will:
Let but the commons hear this testament– 130
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read–
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills, 135
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.
